Shetland to face 96% rise in fuel poverty, council leader warns

People living in the Shetland Isles are set to face a 96% rise in Fuel Poverty as the energy crisis worsens, it has been estimated.

The leader of Shetland Islands Council has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer requesting government intervention after the predicted figures were outlined.

In the letter, it has been predicted that people living on the island must earn a salary of £104,000 to avoid fuel poverty, with household energy bills set to cost twice as much as mainland Scotland bills – due to colder climate, poor insulation and lack of availability of cheaper energy options.

By April, it is estimated that the average energy cost per year for a household in Shetland will be £10,300 – around double that of the UK.

Council leader Emma Macdonald: “Our islands have been at the heart of oil and gas activity for over forty years, yet our people have not seen the benefits of that in terms of a lower cost of fuel.

“Shetland has contributed, and will continue to contribute, significantly to UK energy exports, and yet people in our communities will struggle to heat their homes in the coming year.

“This is particularly ironic, given the continued development of offshore and onshore renewable energy production around Shetland.

“We are calling for UK government support to enable host communities to secure long-term community benefit arrangements, which could include access to low-cost energy for islanders.

“But we also need immediate government help to address rising energy costs, which will have such a damaging impact on those who live in Shetland.”