Workshop sets out ‘pipeline’ to tackle affordable warmth

A system is to be created to link local organisations in an effort to help Orkney households in fuel poverty and struggling to achieve affordable warmth.

A workshop organised by THAW Orkney (Tackling Household Affordable Warmth Orkney) gave broad backing for a system – known as the pipeline approach – to provide a link between organisations helping those struggling to heat their homes.

Peter Rickard, of THAW Orkney, said: “The long-term aim is to create a unit of staff whose role it would be to identify and guide face-to-face those in most need through what can be a bewildering path to getting help.”

He added that a partnership approach is essential to tackle the problem of affordable warmth.

Mr Rickard said that THAW Orkney’s work will be aided by an Orkney-wide survey, being organised by Orkney Islands Council, which will be sent to Orkney households shortly. The Scottish House Condition Survey figure for fuel poverty in Orkney is 58 per cent – rising to 82 per cent for pensioner households – but this is from a relatively small sample size, so the aim of the survey is to get a more accurate picture of levels in the county.