24th September 2026 - Meeting Minutes

Minutes of Meeting on 24^th September 2026

Venue: Atlantic Quay, Online via Teams

Time: 10:00–16:00

Type: Panel

Attendees

Panel: Matt Cole (Chair), Kirsten Jenkins, Bryan Leask, Olivia Swann.

Apologies: Alister Steele, Fraser Stewart.

Secretariat: Roanna Sefton, David Askew (Poverty and Inequality Commission Secretariat).

Apologies: Philippa Brosnan.

Scottish government (SG) officials: Laura Dougan, Dorothy Ogle, Sam Doherty and Suzie Duffy (Fuel Poverty Team); Salem Hassan (Electricity Markets); Paul Stuart (Islands Policy); Lauren Austin (Heat in Buildings); Lucia Ramon-Mateo (Consumer Policy); Amy Nimegeer, Ellen Asquith, Zach Thompson ( Analysts).

Muckle Media: Vicky Tibbitt, Eilidh Mellis

Welcome:

The Chair commenced the meeting, welcoming members of the Panel and Scottish Government officials.

Apologies were received from Alister Steele, Fraser Stewart and Philippa Brosnan.

Agenda item 2: The Panel’s Fuel Poverty Island recommendations, Fuel Poverty Strategy Review Update, Theory of Change and outcome framework

The Panel discussed the above agenda items together with SG policy officials with notable policy overlapping areas.

The Panel discussed its recent advice on fuel poverty in Scotland’s island communities with SG officials from a range of policy areas, including fuel poverty, energy markets, consumer policy, heat in buildings, housing research and islands policy. The discussion explored the rationale behind the Panel’s recommendations, current SG activity, and opportunities for future collaboration.

Key points raised by the Panel

The Panel outlined that its island recommendations were informed by engagement with island local authority stakeholders and organisations supporting households experiencing fuel poverty. Members highlighted that while island communities differ significantly, common themes emerged around higher energy costs, delivery challenges and the need for policy responses that better reflect island circumstances.

The Panel reiterated five key areas identified through its work:

Ensuring funding mechanisms adequately recognise the higher costs of delivering fuel poverty interventions in island communities.
Providing sustained support for advice services and local delivery organisations that act as a critical route into support for households.
Strengthening the role and capacity of local authorities in tackling fuel poverty.
Continuing to press for reform of energy market arrangements and greater recognition of island circumstances within UK Government energy policy.
Exploring opportunities for island communities to benefit more directly from renewable energy generation and community energy initiatives.

Panel members highlighted concerns about the disconnect between island communities hosting significant renewable generation infrastructure and the high energy costs experienced by local households. Discussion focused particularly on electricity pricing, network charging and wider questions of fairness in the energy system.

Scottish Government updates

Officials provided updates on activity taking place across a number of policy areas relevant to the recommendations. Representatives from energy market reform outlined ongoing engagement with the UK Government on electricity market arrangements, including work on electricity pricing and the relationship between gas and electricity prices. It was emphasised that Scottish Ministers continue to raise concerns about the impact of current market arrangements on rural and island communities.

Consumer policy officials provided an update on Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) transition activity. While the formal programme has now concluded, officials advised that only a small number of unresolved cases remain. However, both Panel members and stakeholders have noted ongoing concerns that some households have been moved onto tariffs that are less suitable for their heating systems, potentially increasing energy costs. Officials encouraged the sharing of specific case studies to enable issues to be raised directly with Ofgem and suppliers.

Officials also highlighted work underway through the Energy Literacy, Advice and Support Steering Group. This work is looking at how to improve energy literacy and the accessibility and availability of financial and non-financial support for consumers, with a particular focus on barriers related to geography, poverty, disability, ethnicity and wider socioeconomic inequalities. Particular consideration is being given to the needs of rural and island communities.

Funding and delivery challenges

A significant part of the discussion focused on funding arrangements. Panel members reflected feedback from island authorities that available funding does not always sufficiently account for the additional costs of delivering projects in remote and island locations. Examples were provided of situations where equivalent funding allocations achieve substantially less in island areas compared to mainland locations due to higher construction, labour and transport costs.

SG officials noted that some programmes already contain uplifts or regional adjustments. However, there was agreement that understanding stakeholder experiences and perceptions is important and should form part of future discussions.

Community benefits and renewable energy

The Panel highlighted opportunities for community benefit funding and renewable energy developments to play a greater role in addressing fuel poverty. Members discussed the potential for stronger links between energy generation, community wealth building and local fuel poverty outcomes.

SG officials noted limits on the extent to which community benefit funding can be directed by government, as decisions rest with communities themselves. However, there was agreement that there may be opportunities to facilitate discussions with energy companies and explore ways of supporting more transformational uses of community benefit funding. This would need to be led from outside SG.

Reflections on the recommendations

SG officials welcomed the recommendations and emphasised that many aligned with existing activity across government. Discussion highlighted that the value of the report lies not only in identifying new actions, but in reinforcing the importance of island perspectives and ensuring these remain visible across policy development.

Panel members stressed that the recommendations were intended to provide strategic direction rather than a detailed implementation plan. They noted that a key motivation for producing the advice was stakeholder feedback that island issues were not always sufficiently visible within previous fuel poverty policy discussions.

Fuel Poverty Strategy Review

The Chair invited the Fuel Poverty Policy Team to present on their plans for a revised Fuel Poverty Strategy. The Team updated that they are currently working on establishing the foundations for the new Strategy and seeking to align it with other policy areas, in particular child poverty and heat in buildings, islands policy and health, recognising the Panel’s previous advice. An updated Theory of Change has also been developed.

The Team reflected on the changing context since the last Strategy: energy price volatility, energy security, wider cost of living, and a fiscally tighter environment for public funding.

The Team is is also considering how to focus the Strategy, including how to best align with public service reform. The Team is currently looking at options around targeting people at risk, improving alignment between programmes, and partnership working.

Moving forward, officials will be engaging with the Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Energy, carrying out internal policy work with colleagues, and undertaking stakeholder engagement. There is also a requirement for consultation, including statutory consultees and others including energy providers, child poverty organisations and health organisations. The Fuel Poverty Team’s intention is to meet again with the Panel in November and provide further updates.

In discussion the Panel reflected on the following points:

Some fuel poverty drivers are outwith the Scottish Government’s control and noted the challenges this presents for developing and implementing a Fuel Poverty Strategy.
The importance of partnering with the NHS in terms of data sharing, as well as universities because they are doing a lot of work on fuel poverty. The Royal College of Paediatrics will also be an important contact for engagement.
Actions should be SMART (specific, measurable, assignable, realistic, and time bound).
The work should also reflect on the context of limited financial capacity and how far the available finance can actually go in terms of getting to the overall target of eradicating fuel poverty.
The Fuel Poverty Policy Team confirmed that modelling looking at the impact of different drivers on reaching the 2040 targets has been carried out and can be shared at the Panel’s November meeting.
It is useful to understand what the priority items within the Strategy will be, recognising that different aspects will have different impacts, and that some will be more impactful than others.

Theory of change and outcome framework

SG Analysts provided an update on work which has been undertaken since March 2026 to produce a monitoring framework. The focus has been on delivering a streamlined monitoring framework with a set of core indicators to be reported against, underpinned by a theory of change and supported by a new driver diagram to tray and robustly evidence the logic of interventions and track progress in delivering those. Within this work there has been a focus on building relationships and new ways of working with officials within linked SG policy areas, including linking in with evaluations from adjacent areas.

Additionally, Analysts sought to identify key gaps and progress thinking about the evidence base across that longer term and identify the scope to address gaps by discussing ways that other Teams are addressing these challenges across Scottish Government and considering ways that we can effectively collaborate. A data exercise was carried out with internal SG Teams – heat in buildings, regulations and standards, strategic approaches including energy reform, social tariffs and warm homes discount, income and social security, and advice and engagement. The results were focusing on which outcomes are measured and reported and on the indicators that they are using. Whether data or evidence gathered is fuel poverty specific, or poverty and low income-specific was also considered. Based on the learnings from the process, the theory of change model was reworked and a driver diagram was produced.

Analysts highlighted that the reworked theory of change draws particularly on the heat in buildings theory of change, the child poverty model and the core monitoring outcomes approach was informed by both child poverty and the approach taken by the New Zealand Government.

In terms of overall findings, Analysts flagged that there is no data directly gathered on those in fuel poverty for most of the programmes. Most of the current available evidence is delivery rather than outcomes focused and cannot directly evidence improvements to lived experience of fuel per households. There is recognition across policy areas that more evidence is needed about a reduction in the harms caused by fuel poverty. There is also recognition from heat in buildings and net zero colleagues that there is an opportunity to be proportionately representing fuel poverty in the outcomes related to their programmes.

A driver diagram was developed by Analysts to help improve communication of the causal pathway or the intent across the different elements involved in improving outcomes for fuel poor households. Previous Panel feedback on the child poverty model and heat in buildings approach was used to inform the development of driver diagram, which draws on elements from both those areas and is intended to complement them. Work will be undertaken to make the driver diagram a accessible visual.

In terms of identifying potential outcomes for a future framework, the overall aim is to capture a small number of important outcomes with measurable related indicators.

SG Analysts then took the Panel through the current draft outcomes and indicators.

In discussion, Panel members highlighted that it is great to see the progress made and emphasised their willingness to continue to review the ongoing work. The Fuel Poverty policy team highlighted that the theory of change work will now be paused until work on the new Strategy is progressed further. The Panel suggested that air quality and health metrics (including pre and post intervention) should be considered in the Framework. Panel member, Olivia Swann, provided details of her Healthy Homes, Healthy Kids study to SG officials, and explained the data that will be available from that in the future. She also emphasised the strength of approaches which tackle multiple policy issues at once, including fuel poverty and public health challenges.

The Panel also encouraged caution in adding another reporting structure within grant delivery systems, as this can put people off from applying.

Agreed actions and next steps for agenda item 2:

Scottish Government officials will circulate updates received from individual policy teams relating to the Panel’s recommendations.
The Panel and Scottish Government will continue discussions on how island recommendations can inform the developing revised Fuel Poverty Strategy.
Officials will share relevant contact details and reporting routes for RTS and smart meter-related consumer issues.
Both parties agreed to maintain dialogue on community benefit schemes, energy market reform and the specific challenges faced by island communities.
The Fuel Poverty Team will meet again with the Panel in November, providing updates on the scenario modelling undertaken, and to provide a wider update on their approach to the Strategy review and to seek Panel input.
The Panel will continue to engage with and offer supportive review of analytical work.

Agenda Item 3: 2026-27 Workplan and planning the next six months

The Panel discussed priorities for its 2026-27 workplan and how best to utilise member time over the coming six months. Members agreed that, given a two day Panel meeting is already scheduled in November, there was no need for an additional Panel meeting that month. The Panel also agreed that there would be greater value in further in-person meetings than undertaking a visit at this stage. Should a visit be pursued, members felt it would be more appropriate to postpone this until the next workplan year (April 2027-March 2028).

Panel capacity and approach

Panel members expressed a desire to make full use of their allocated hours and agreed that any additional capacity could be used to support ad hoc meetings on specific policy topics as required.

Members reaffirmed their view that a well-developed and evidence-informed Fuel Poverty Strategy would be more valuable than one delivered hastily. The Panel agreed it was willing to devote significant time and effort to supporting the development of the revised Fuel Poverty Strategy.

Health, regulation and system change

The Panel considered the recommendations which have been drafted following the research undertaken on fuel poverty and public health. Members agreed that these recommendations should be published soon. Members discussed whether these recommendations should focus on achievable short-term improvements or seek wider system change. The Panel agreed that its approach should be as ambitious as possible and continue to focus on opportunities for broader structural reform where appropriate.

Members also discussed developments relating to public service reform and data sharing. It was noted that proposals currently under consideration could significantly reduce the number of health boards and alter data flows across the health system. The Panel agreed that these developments warranted further consideration, particularly in relation to fuel poverty and health outcomes.

Lived experience research

The Panel expressed a strong desire to strengthen the lived experience perspective of their work and explored potential ways of taking this work forward.

Members discussed the creation of a dedicated sub-group to focus on developing this lived experience perspective and agreed that Panel members Kirsten Jenkins and Olivia Swann would work with the Secretariat on this. An initial area of focus could be around the behavioural driver of fuel poverty, including how understanding how new systems are used in the home and their impact on household energy costs and comfort.

The Panel agreed that strengthening lived experience evidence would provide valuable insight to support both future advice and policy development.

Engagement with Scottish Government and Consumer Scotland

Members reiterated their interest in continuing to engage closely with SG officials to help shape policy development and support ongoing work on the revised Fuel Poverty Strategy.

The Panel agreed that continued engagement with Consumer Scotland is also very important and that representatives should be invited to the February Panel meeting.

Poverty Alliance Parliamentary Reception and Energy Action Scotland

The Panel agreed that Olivia would represent the Panel at the Poverty Alliance event on Taking Action on Rural Poverty on the 6^th of October. Olivia would also like to attend the Energy Action Scotland Conference and the Secretariat will support her in organising this. The Secretariat should also check if Alister Steele is also able to attend the Conference. Bryan Leask is presenting at the conference.

Intersectionality work

The Panel noted that research work on intersectionality is expected to begin early next year. This research could focus on fuel poverty intersectional risk profiles and potentials for targeting these groups.

Kirsten agreed to prepare a one-page briefing drawing on her experience of delivering similar work in academia and where she thinks the research could go next. This note will be shared with the Social Researcher by 9 October 2026 and will help inform discussions on the scope and approach of future intersectionality work. Olivia also noted that her research team has access to Scottish House Condition Survey data and could support on producing intersectional cross tabulations.

Flexible Energy Discount Mechanism

The Panel agreed that the Secretariat should continue to engage with the Scottish Government’s Energy Consumer Team to advocate to the UK Government for a Flexible Energy Discount Mechanism (or Social Tariff).

2027/28 Workplan

It was agreed that development work for next year’s Workplan should start at the November meeting in order for this to be produced before the end of the financial year. It was felt, however, that the Strategic Plan should be rolled over for another year to March 2028 to enable it to fully reflect the new Fuel Poverty Strategy.

Buildings (Heating and Energy Performance) and Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill

The Panel agreed that it is important that they feed into the scrutiny process for the Draft Buildings (Heating and Energy Performance) and Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill. Space in the 2026/27 and 2027/28 Workplans should accomodate this, depending on when the Bill is introduced to Parliament .

Agreed actions from agenda item 3:

The planned online Panel meeting on November 17^th should be cancelled.
The Panel’s Social Researcher will reformat the drafted health recommendations.
The Panel will explore approaches to engage with people with lived experience of fuel poverty. An informal sub-group will be established to look at this.
Panel member, Kirsten Jenkins, will provide a one-page note to the Social Researcher on an approach to intersectionality research by 9 October 2026.
The Panel will continue engagement with SG officials to support development of the revised Fuel Poverty Strategy.
The Secretariat will continue to engage with the Consumer Policy Team on progress towards a Flexible Energy Discount Mechanism.
Secretariat to book Olivia Swann onto the Energy Action Scotland Conference and check whether Alister Steele is also able to attend.

Agenda Item 4: Muckle Media – comms strategy/plan approach

Muckle Media joined the meeting to discuss the development of a communications strategy and delivery plan to support the Panel’s work over the coming year. The discussion focused on increasing the visibility of the Panel’s advice, strengthening engagement with key audiences and ensuring the Panel’s recommendations have greater reach and impact.

Communications strategy approach

Muckle Media presented its proposed strategic communications framework, based around identifying desired outcomes, target audiences and the behaviours the Panel wishes to influence.

The proposed approach focuses on four broad communications objectives:

Strengthening collaboration and engagement with partners and stakeholders.
Supporting accountability through promoting the Panel’s scrutiny role.
Increasing consideration of the Panel’s evidence and recommendations in policy development.
Raising awareness and visibility of the Panel and its work.

Panel members agreed these themes broadly reflect its role and purpose.There was discussion around the Panel’s role as a critical friend and independent advisor, with members highlighting that challenge and scrutiny should remain a visible part of the Panel’s identity.

Target audiences

Muckle Media identified three key audience groups:

Individuals and households, particularly those experiencing or at risk of fuel poverty.
Decision-makers, including Ministers, MSPs, civil servants and policy officials.
Sector partners and organisations working directly with communities experiencing fuel poverty.

Discussion focused particularly on decision-makers and partner organisations as the audiences most likely to influence policy change and implementation. Members highlighted the importance of ensuring that local authorities, advice services and community organisations continue to play a central role in informing and amplifying the Panel’s work.

Key messages

The Panel discussed a series of draft communications messages centred on:

The Panel’s independence and evidence-based approach.
The impact of fuel poverty on households and communities.
The need for long-term solutions and policy action.
The value of collaboration across sectors.
The importance of ensuring lived experience informs decision-making.

Members noted that while the Panel produces a significant amount of evidence and advice, there is often a challenge in distilling complex work into clear messages that resonate with policymakers, stakeholders and the public.

Media and communications channels

Muckle Media outlined a range of potential communications channels, including:

News releases and media relations.
Parliamentary and policy briefings.
Thought leadership articles and commentary.
LinkedIn and social media activity.
Stakeholder events and roundtable discussions.

A particular focus was placed on increasing the visibility of the Panel’s LinkedIn presence and making better use of opportunities to share research, recommendations and emerging evidence.

The Panel agreed that social media activity should primarily be used to support and amplify agreed Panel outputs rather than reflect individual views. Members discussed the role they can play in sharing and promoting Panel activity through their own networks.

Priority communications opportunities

The discussion identified a number of opportunities for communications activity over the coming months:

Island recommendations

Members felt there remained significant scope to raise awareness of the Panel’s recommendations relating to fuel poverty in island communities. While the recommendations have been published, feedback suggested they have not yet achieved the level of reach or visibility hoped for, particularly within island communities themselves.

Members highlighted the continuing importance of ensuring that island specific fuel poverty issues remain visible within wider policy debates.

Health and fuel poverty

The Panel discussed opportunities to build on its recent work exploring the relationship between health and fuel poverty.

Members noted that the implementation of Awaab’s Law in Scotland on 6 October would provide a timely opportunity to contribute to public discussion about housing conditions, damp, mould and wider health impacts associated with fuel poverty.

The Panel agreed that health offers a particularly powerful narrative for communicating fuel poverty issues to wider audiences and policymakers.

It was agreed that Olivia would prepare a short set of key messages linking health, housing quality and fuel poverty. These would form the basis of potential media activity around the implementation of Awaab’s Law, with support from Muckle Media.

Reactive communications

Muckle Media suggested developing a number of pre-agreed positions and lines on key issues affecting fuel poverty, enabling the Panel to respond more quickly to emerging developments.

Members agreed that having draft positions prepared in advance would allow the Panel to respond more effectively when media opportunities arise.

LinkedIn and digital engagement

The Panel discussed how members could support the development of the Panel’s LinkedIn presence.

Members agreed that:

Posts relating to official Panel activity and outputs should be actively shared where appropriate.
LinkedIn activity should complement rather than replace wider communications activity.
Care should be taken to distinguish between official Panel positions and personal views.
The account should focus on amplifying agreed recommendations, publications and stakeholder engagement.

Next steps

Muckle Media agreed to refine the communications strategy and develop a more detailed delivery plan for the coming months.

Key areas of initial focus will include:

Developing communications activity around the Panel’s island fuel poverty recommendations to be issued by mid-October.
Exploring opportunities linked to Awaab’s Law and the relationship between health and fuel poverty.
Increasing activity through LinkedIn and other communications channels.
Producing reactive messaging on priority fuel poverty issues.
Identifying future opportunities linked to energy prices, fuel poverty data releases and the Scottish Budget.

Agreed actions from agenda item 4:

Muckle Media will finalise the communications strategy and produce an accompanying delivery plan.
Muckle Media will develop a communications proposal focused on the Panel’s island fuel poverty recommendations.
Olivia will provide health-focused messaging relating to Awab’s Law, housing conditions and fuel poverty.
Muckle Media will prepare reactive communications lines on key fuel poverty issues.
Panel members will support agreed social media activity through sharing and promotion where appropriate.
Future communications activity will focus on maximising the reach and impact of Panel advice, evidence and recommendations.
The Secretariat should create a standing agenda item for Panel engagement with Muckle Media.

Agenda Item 5: AOB

The Panel reflected on what was a busy and informative meeting. The Chair asked if any items had been discussed which could result in a potential conflict of interest and members confirmed that there were not. The Chair closed the meeting.