26th February 2026 - Meeting Minutes

Minutes of Meeting on 26th Feb 2026 Final.docx

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Minutes of Meeting on 26th February 2026

Venue: Online via teams

Time: 14:00 – 17:00

Type:  Panel Meeting

ATTENDEES:

Panel: Matthew Cole, Alister Steele, Bryan Leesk, Fraser Stewart and Olivia Swann

Apologies: Kirsten Jenkins

Secretariat:  Philippa Brosnan, Roanna Sefton and Trisha Melvin

AGENDA ITEM 1:    Introductory Remarks

Matt opened the meeting. He offered a warm welcome to Olivia Swann and Bryan Leask, welcoming them to the Panel and noting how pleased he was to have them at their first Panel meeting. The Panel and Secretariat then made introductions around the table.

Matt outlined the agenda for the afternoon, explaining the flow of the meeting and key items to be covered, including the briefing from officials from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), planning for the upcoming Islands Fuel Poverty Roundtable, and updates on research and communications activity. Matt highlighted that he would need to leave for an hour to attend a Ministerial meeting, between 3-4 pm at which point Alister would take over chairing the meeting.

AGENDA ITEM 2: AOB

As there was time before the DESNZ officials joined, Matt suggested covering off AOB at this point.

The Panel discussed:

Communications & Publications (pre‑election period)

The Panel discussed publishing Vanessa’s (the Panel intern’s) Public Health Fuel Poverty Policy Mapping Report and the opportunity it offers to maintain visibility of fuel poverty ahead of the pre-election period which starts on 23 of March.

 The Panel agreed to publish a short blog (authored by Vanessa) reflecting on her internship experience and drawing out key findings, with the full report to published post the election when Roanna will also have completed her public health case study piece.

Roanna to take forward the publication of Vanessa’s intern experience and key project findings.

The March Panel Meeting agenda was also discussed.

 AGENDA ITEM 3: Briefing from on England’s Fuel Poverty Strategy & The Warm Homes Plan)

Matt welcomed the DESNZ officials – James Kerry and Jaimi Lallu to the meeting, noting that what happens in England does affect Scotland since fuel poverty mitigations sit across both devolved and reserved powers. James and Jaimi then provided the following overview of how the UK Gov. plans to reduce fuel poverty and support households with high energy costs in England. The Fuel Poverty Strategy (for England) was developed in tandem with The Warm Homes Plan and both were published on the 21st of January this year. An overview of the Strategy, outlining the objectives, with an overview of the content was provided and the following points made:

Aims:

  • To lift 1 million households out of fuel poverty by 2030.
  • It will keep using EPC ratings (energy performance ratings) to track progress up to 2030 and will retain the Low-Income Low Energy Efficiency (LILEE) measure.
  • A new measure will also look at how much of a household’s income is needed to pay for essential energy use therefore focussing on energy affordability.

Support will be prioritised guided by 5 strategic principles:

  • Help will go to homes with the worst energy efficiency, but with a broader approach than before with a view to fuel poor households living in the least energy efficient houses.
  • Vulnerable people – including pre-school children, older adults, people with specific health conditions and pregnant women will be prioritised.
  • Policies will focus on cost effectiveness and value for money to reduce energy bills for fuel poor households.
  • Sustainable approach to align with net zero, climate change adaptation, child poverty, and preventative health care.
  • Strengthen consumer protection and installation standards, including creating a Warm Homes Agency.

 Policy plan with two pillars: energy performance and affordability

  • Energy performance – Warm Homes Plan to support home upgrades, with a focus on clean energy necessitating measure to support thermal efficiency as well as clean heating systems (consequentials will flow to Scotland) In the private rented sector, landlords will need to meet minimum energy efficiency standards – EPC C by 2030
  • Energy Affordability – The Warm Home Discount expansion will continue until winter 2030/31.
    • Work is underway to make energy bills fairer, including:
  • removing some of the policy costs (ECO) and reforming the renewables’ obligation reducing the extra costs on electricity.
  • strengthening protections for vulnerable consumers.
  • ensuring those on prepayment meters don’t pay more than those paying by DD.
  • Reviewing the energy retail market and Ofgem’s Debt & Consumer Vulnerability Strategies.
  • Improved data sharing and referral routes (e.g. from health services) will help identify and support those most in need.

 Strategic Implementation & Progress

 The Fuel Poverty Strategy (for England) has a cross-sector and whole systems’ approach linking in with other government objectives critical to tackling fuel poverty – reducing fuel bills, increasing wages, strengthening employment rights, benefit system support, and linking with the Child Poverty Taskforce, the 10 Year Health Plan for England, and Net Zero objectives specifically while protecting those on fuel poverty. Adopting a partnership approach.

Scrutiny of delivery – fuel poverty stats will be published within a calendar year – alongside a fuel poverty scorecard – and a written Ministerial statement. The UK Government will publish a response to the Committee of Fuel Poverty’s annual recommendations.

Panel Comments:  

  • With electricity costing almost 5 times as much as gas it is more challenging for households to switch to low‑carbon heating and leaves electric‑only homes facing much higher bills – both problematic for low-income households. James recognised the tensions but noted the intention to move to low-carbon heating systems will be part of a package of measures
  • The Warm Home Discount has reduced in value as energy prices have increased. Uprating WHD and varying the amount by region to reflect regional cost variation would increase its impact beyond expanding its coverage.
  • The energy price cap, dual fuel basis (gas and electricity) does not reflect the reality of electric heating costs.
  • Interest was expressed in how future EPC reforms will reflect real‑world energy costs for low‑income households.
  • Support for better referral pathways from the health sector, especially for people who need higher energy use for medical reasons, is essential.

Matt thanked James and Jaimi for their presentation and noted that the Panel looks forward to a further session with their Warm Home Plan colleagues.

 AGENDA ITEM 4: Island Fuel Poverty Roundtable – Planning

The Panel (Matt and Alister) have had bilateral meetings with 5 Island Local Authorities, and those with Islands in their authority area, to date. These sessions have laid the groundwork for the Island Fuel Poverty Roundtable to be held on the 17th of March, exploring the drivers of fuel poverty in Island Communities and the opportunities to mitigate these. (Island Communities suffer the worst fuel poverty in Scotland). Philippa presented findings from the 5 bilaterals to the whole Panel, with Alister summing up the key takeaways.

Philippa will reflect on the ideas from the Panel and feedback how the Roundtable could be structured to ensure that the Panel is well-positioned to advise Scottish Ministers post-election on how the revised strategy could support Island communities in tackling fuel poverty.

AGENDA ITEM 5: Research & upcoming work

The Cash versus Bills analysis, which Roanna has now completed will be discussed at the Panel’s March meeting.

AGENDA ITEM 5: AOB continued

Matt invited reflections and thanked everyone for their time before  closing the meeting.

Next meeting  – 17th March – Island Fuel Poverty Roundtable (online) 26th March – Panel Meeting (in person)

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