Fuel Poverty

Due to disruption from the Covid pandemic the latest local authority data is from 2019. However, in Scotland, fuel poverty rates increased to 34% in 2023, up from 31% in 2022.

Extreme fuel poverty rates increased to 19.4% in 2023, up from 18.5% in 2022.

In total, there are 861,000 fuel poor households in Scotland and the majority of fuel poor households (591,000) 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-