The funding will support projects aimed at helping vulnerable households with energy bills and advancing carbon reduction initiatives.

Fife-based charity Greener Kirkcaldy will receive £272,541 through the scheme to deliver its ‘Connecting Communities’ project. Utilising a community engagement approach, the project will support local residents, particularly those with literacy and digital barriers, by providing in-depth energy advice to 700 households.

Bruce McCall, service delivery manager at Greener Kirkcaldy, said: “This funding will allow us to reach the households in Fife most vulnerable to the impacts of fuel poverty. This will include people encountering language, numeracy or digital barriers, learning disabled people, and people who have difficulty engaging with digital technology and online services.”

Elsewhere in Scotland, Huntly Development Trust Limited will receive £127,659 for its Gartly Moor HDT project, which aims to develop a 16MW (4-5 turbine) wind farm on Forestry and Land Scotland ground adjacent to one of its existing wind projects and its community outdoor adventure venue. This will significantly upscale the level of income available to their community for investment across a range of areas of need.

To date, it has secured a grid connection (October 2031) for the project and, with the help of additional funding, has completed 35% of the work required towards a planning application. The project will support staff time (and ancillary costs) required to take forward the wind farm to meet key deadlines/milestones, and engage the community fully.

Moray Food Plus has been awarded £81,119 to deliver an energy advice service to support residents experiencing different aspects of poverty, which will work alongside its existing money advice service. Offering a “one-stop” approach for support, it will undertake home visits to offer energy advice and financial support where appropriate; including advice around energy debt; and where possible, assist with any supplier issues.

Graham Ayling, senior project manager for the Energy Redress Scheme at Energy Saving Trust, said: “We’ve seen the positive impact of previously funded projects delivered through the Energy Redress Scheme, and we’re pleased to announce how this latest round of funding will benefit local communities.

“This round of funding will support charities and community groups in helping those most in need in to heat and power their homes. It will also enable the voluntary sector to scale up the UK’s transition to net zero, ensuring no one is left behind.”

Russell Ogilvie, head of enforcement at Ofgem, said: “This funding, which is a direct result of Ofgem’s enforcement and compliance work, shows that when energy companies fall short, we hold them to account and help deliver tangible support for those who need it most.

“From tackling fuel poverty to backing innovative carbon-cutting projects, the Energy Redress Scheme continues to empower communities across Great Britain. It’s inspiring to see such a diverse range of organisations using this latest round of funding to make a real difference on the ground, particularly for those in vulnerable situations.”

Since 2018, the Energy Redress Scheme has distributed more than £181m in funding to support 721 projects in England, Scotland and Wales. The funding is collected through Ofgem’s enforcement and compliance activity, where companies that have breached energy rules agree to make a voluntary payment into the scheme. Energy Saving Trust manages the allocation of payments for the scheme.