Fuel Poverty

Due to disruption from the Covid pandemic the latest local authority data is from 2019. However, in Scotland, fuel poverty rates decreased to 28.7% in 2024, down from 34% in 2023.

Extreme fuel poverty rates decreased to 14% in 2024, down from 19.4% in 2023.

In total, there are 732,000 fuel poor households in Scotland and the majority of fuel poor households (570,000) are also in income poverty.

In the period 2017-2019, West Lothian was among five local authorities that had significantly lower fuel poverty rates than the national average of 24%. West Lothian rate was 18%.

In the same period, West Lothian was one of six local authorities to have extreme fuel poverty rates lower than the Scottish national average of 12%. West Lothian rate was 9%.

Percent Dwellings in Fuel Poverty by local authority compared to Scotland. SHCS 2017-19

Source: Scottish Government, Scottish House Condition Survey: Local Authority Analysis 2017-2019

Percent Dwellings in Extreme Fuel Poverty by local authority compared to Scotland. SHCS 2017-19

Source: Scottish Government, Scottish House Condition Survey: Local Authority Analysis 2017-2019

The heating payment package in Scotland consists of the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment, the Winter Heating Payment and the Child Winter Heating Payment administered by Social Security Scotland. In West Lothian, 15,735 Winter Heating Payments and 1,685 Child Winter Heating Payments were issued in Winter 2024/25.