Island Fuel Poverty - Findings

In February and March 2026, the Panel engaged with the six Scottish local authorities with islands in their jurisdiction to explore their specific fuel poverty challenges. This report summarises the findings from these sessions.

Scottish Fuel Poverty Advisory Panel – Island Fuel Poverty Findings.pdf

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1. Introduction

1.1 The Scottish Fuel Poverty Advisory Panel’s has previously highlighted  that island and remote rural communities suffer the worst fuel poverty in Scotland (The Panel’s Periodic Report Response September 2025). The Panel has concluded that a bespoke approach to the structural disadvantage suffered by rural and remote areas is needed to tackle the fuel poverty in these communities. One of the Panel’s recommendations was that ”island and remote rural communities should have a specific, more focused and co-ordinated, approach for tackling fuel poverty with clear leadership and enhanced resources.”

1.2.  The Panel’s ’25-’26 Workplan included a continuation of its previous year’s focus on rural and remote fuel poverty. It aimed to explore what solutions are being deployed, the issues they unearth and their effectiveness.

1.3. This prior work informed the Panel’s approach to the Islands’ Fuel Poverty Roundtable, held online on the 17th of March 2026. Ahead of the Roundtable, the Panel held individual bilateral meetings with the 3 island local authorities (LAs) [Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Orkney Islands Council, Shetland Islands Council] and the 3 Authorities with islands in their jurisdiction [Argyll and Bute Council, The Highland Council and North Ayrshire Council].

1.4. The purpose of the Roundtable was to explore the nature of and priorities for tackling fuel poverty in island communities with a view to the Panel making recommendations on how the needs of island communities can be represented in the revised Fuel Poverty Strategy.

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