A grant of £245,539 over two years will allow the HEAT Project Scotland team to continue to provide a free, impartial and expert energy advice service to households throughout Perth and Kinross to help them become more energy efficient and reduce their energy bills.

The project is a community-based initiative established in 2017. The team has provided energy advice to more than 6,000 households across Perth and Kinross. In the last two years alone, the project has helped households save 15 to 20% on their energy bills, resulting in more than £400,000 in savings every year.

Martin Mathers, The HEAT Project Scotland manager, said: “The renewed funding from Ofgem’s Energy Redress Scheme allows us to continue our vital work, assisting households in reducing energy costs. It will also allow us to maintain partnership working with community bodies such as Perth and Kinross Council Wellbeing Team, CAB Perth, Broke Not Broken, Buttons and Bows, Letham4All and Crieff Connexions. With them, we offer regular energy surgeries and community group energy talks to target vulnerable households and tackle fuel poverty.”

Linda Tait, chair of BRDT, said: “The HEAT Project Scotland has become an essential service provided by BRDT. We are absolutely delighted that this funding will enable the continuation of this work for another two years, at this time of extremely high energy prices.”