Scottish Islanders facing high fuel, food and energy costs are to
receive an additional £1 million in support to help meet cost of
living pressures.
The new funding will be delivered through the Islands Cost Crisis
Emergency Fund to help mitigate against some of the unique cost
of living challenges faced by people living on Scotland’s
islands.
This includes a colder climate, higher fuel and energy costs and
reduced consumer choice. The fund criteria have also been
extended to potentially include struggling local businesses.
The additional funding will be distributed by the six island
local authorities, with support targeted where they feel it will
be most effective and towards people, communities and businesses
who are struggling the most.
Previous initiatives funded by the Islands Cost Crisis Emergency
Fund include food bank grants, Love Local food voucher cards and
free school breakfasts.
Announcing the funding while visiting Shetland, Local Government
Empowerment Minister said:
“No one in Scotland has been shielded from the cost of living
crisis – which has been exacerbated by the inflationary crisis
caused by UK Government actions. But islanders often face even
greater challenges, due to the unique circumstances of island
life.
“Island council leaders have seen the cost of living crisis
become more entrenched in their communities. As Minister
responsible for local government, I am determined to step up and
help those who need it the most even when the UK Government is
turning its back on people.
“We have listened to island local authorities and are providing
this £1 million of additional funding to help them target support
where they have the most concerns.”
Councillor Maureen Chalmers, COSLA’s Community Wellbeing
Spokesperson said:
“The cost-of-living crisis continues to have a disproportionate
impact on our island communities, with some areas facing costs up
to 65% higher than on the mainland.
“This funding will allow for the continuation of past measures
made possible by the Fund such as electricity vouchers, provision
of meals and supporting local food initiatives.
“We appreciate the joint work which has taken place between
Scottish and Local Government to ensure this funding is available
to our most vulnerable islands communities before the winter.”
The Scottish Government has also launched a public consultation
to review the current priorities of the National Islands Plan,
five years after it was first published, which island communities
are being invited to respond to.
Background
Estimates by Shetland
Islands Council suggest that the costs of living in some
island areas are 20 to 65 per cent higher than the UK average.
The Islands Cost Crisis
Emergency Fund was set up in December 2022. The
additional £1 million funding is for the 2023-24 financial year
and will be distributed to the six island local authorities
through the 2023/24 Local Government Revenue Grant. It brings the
total support provided by the fund to £2.4 million.
Funding allocation by local authority:
|
Local Authority
|
Resource (000)
|
|
Argyll & Bute
|
141
|
|
Highland
|
105
|
|
Na h-Eileanan Siar
|
257
|
|
North Ayrshire
|
57
|
|
Orkney
|
218
|
|
Shetland
|
222
|
Scotland’s first ever National Islands
Plan was published in December 2019, after extensive
consultation and engagement. It was a key outcome from the
Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 and provides a framework for action
to meaningfully improve outcomes for Scotland's island
communities.
The Act requires a review of the Plan within 5 years of initial
publication and this provides the Scottish Government an
opportunity to engage with local authorities, island communities
and partners to reflect on changes in circumstance for island
communities since 2019. This may result in the National Islands
Plan being revised. A formal twelve-week
consultation to support this review has now launched.
