Tag: cost of living crisis

Additional funding for energy advice in face of rising bills

£1.2 million to ensure households and businesses get support

Immediate funding is being awarded to key energy advice organisations to make sure energy customers can access crucial support and advice to deal with rising energy bills and heating costs.

More than £1.2 million will be distributed to help key agencies, including Advice Direct Scotland, Home Energy Scotland and Citizen’s Advice Scotland, reach more people who need help.

The funding will also support a training programme for staff from third sector organisations to expand the reach of expert advice.

The Scottish Government committed to providing additional support to advice agencies at the Scottish Energy Summit hosted by the First Minister on Tuesday 23 August, at which a series of further actions to mitigate the energy price rises were agreed with energy companies and advice organisations.

The additional funding announced today is on top of the Scottish Government’s existing investment in free income, welfare and debt advice services, including support to Money Advice Scotland and the Welfare Advice and Health Partnerships Programme.

Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings and Tenants Rights Patrick Harvie visited Home Energy Scotland’s Edinburgh offices to speak to advisors who have been supporting households.

Mr Harvie said: “We know that this is an incredibly unsettling time for all households and businesses and it is imperative that those worried about or struggling with heating their homes access the information and support they need to reduce their energy bills.

“A further energy price cap increase announcement will only serve to escalate concerns, making the need for impartial, expert advice and support even more vital.

“The Scottish Government is clear that energy customers simply cannot be expected to carry the burden of further price rises in October, and that the UK Government must now commit to freeze the cap for all households and to support energy companies to deliver that.

“In the meantime, the cost crisis is already hitting energy customers hard and the Scottish Government will continue to do everything within our means to support the people of Scotland through it.

“This funding will ensure that expert advisors across the country stand ready to provide crucial support and guidance to those understandably worried about their energy bills. I would urge everyone who has concerns to access these services and get the support they need.”

A total of £1.268 million will be distributed across energy advice services as follows:

  • £220,000 to Advice Direct Scotland to fund new staff in its contact centres for consumers, including vulnerable consumers, in need of help.
  • £50,000 to Advice Direct Scotland to create a user-friendly online digital journey for customers
  • £220,000 to Citizen’s Advice Scotland to enhance capacity in their local advice bureaus enabling them to provide advice on both energy debt and energy efficiency measures.
  • £280,000 to expand the Home Energy Scotland advice Service
  • £198,000 for Home Energy Scotland recruits who will provide training to staff from third sector organisations on energy efficiency, which will see around 200 local community groups and organisations benefit
  • £300,000 to enhance support for businesses through Business Energy Scotland

The Scottish Government estimates that 906,000 or 36% of all households will be in fuel poverty in October 2022, based on an Ofgem price cap of £2,800 and taking into account previously announced government mitigations.

The Scottish Government has allocated almost £3 billion in this financial year that will help households face the increased cost of living. This includes the provision of services and financial support not available elsewhere in the UK that is helping to reduce everyday costs and increase incomes.

It also includes £10 million to continue the Fuel Insecurity Fund which helps households at risk of severely rationing their energy use, or self-disconnecting entirely. This includes direct support for households using any tariff or fuel type, and is delivered via trusted third sector partners the Fuel Bank Foundation, Advice Direct Scotland and the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations.

Aldi donates 8890 meals to Edinburgh charities over school summer holidays

Aldi supported charities in Edinburgh during the school summer holidays by donating more than 8,800 meals to people in need. 

The supermarket paired its stores up with local charities, foodbanks and community groups via community giving platform Neighbourly to donate surplus food to good causes.      

Since the partnership with Neighbourly began in 2019, Aldi’s UK stores have already donated more than 25 million meals to over 3,600 local causes.     

Liz Fox, Corporate Responsibility Director at Aldi UK, said: “Our food donations scheme with Neighbourly operates year-round, but we know that school holidays are a particularly hard time for families, especially as many continue to experience greater hardship due to the cost-of-living crisis.     

“This is why we committed to supporting even more amazing causes in Edinburgh over the school holidays, helping them to provide meals to those who needed them most.”    

Steve Butterworth, from Neighbourly, added: “School holidays are often a time when demand on charities and foodbanks drastically increases, particularly during summer when children are at home for six weeks or more.

“This push in donations from Aldi was therefore essential in helping these organisations support families during this time.”  

FM hosts Scottish energy summit

Further action agreed as consensus reached

The Scottish Government, energy companies and advice organisations met at Bute House yesterday (Tuesday 23rd August) for a summit chaired by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon – but it’s the UK Government that will have to act to head off a financial crisis for families across the country.

During the meeting a consensus emerged around next steps that must be taken by the UK Government, and where further work and action will take place between energy companies, advice organisations and the Scottish Government ahead of a follow up meeting next month.

The First Minister said: “Any further increase in energy bills in October will have a profound impact on households, businesses and the public sector already struggling with the cost crisis.

“No single government, company or organisation can solve this crisis alone. It requires a collective response commensurate to the situation and the Scottish Government is now treating this situation as a public emergency.

“There was clear consensus at today’s summit that energy customers simply cannot be expected to carry the burden of further price rises in October, and that the UK Government must now commit to freeze the cap for all households and to support the energy companies to deliver that.

“This meeting was focussed on practical solutions, but without action by the UK Government to address the problem at source, the actions we discussed can only ever mitigate the impact of such dramatic price rises at the edges.

“I am grateful to energy suppliers and our third sector partners for coming to the table today and for committing to work together with the Scottish Government to develop further action and practical steps to help households and businesses through the cost crisis.”

The consensus reached in the meeting was that the UK government should:

  • Immediately cancel any further energy price increase for domestic consumers, and work with the regulator and energy companies to put in place the funding to support this;
  • Provide significant additional support to help households and businesses meet current energy bills and the impact of inflation more generally;
  • Take action to protect small and medium sizes businesses, and other organisations not covered by the price cap, from rising energy costs;
  • Reform the energy market for the longer term to prevent this situation occurring again in the future.

The following actions to mitigate the current situation were also agreed and will be developed further:

  • Energy companies will pursue all possible options to provide enhanced support to consumers who are in difficulty, including working with advice agencies and government to improve the support available to consumers, and protect customers from disconnection. It was agreed that the energy companies will work with the Scottish government over the next two weeks to agree a package of measures;
  • The Scottish Government will provide additional support to advice agencies and consider, as part of its emergency budget review, further support for households and businesses. It will also undertake a public information campaign to promote energy efficiency measures alongside sources of help and support for those in difficulty;
  • This group will reconvene following the announcement by Ofgem of the new price cap on Friday 26th August and the appointment of a new Prime Minister to determine further specific actions.

Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi visits Edinburgh as UK Government ‘delivers major cost-of-living support’

  • The Chancellor is in Edinburgh today to showcase the support the UK Government is providing the people of Scotland through a £37bn package.
  • It comes after July’s National Insurance Contribution threshold rise for workers across Scotland, putting £330 back into the pockets of a typical employee this year and saving households over £260m. 
  • The Chancellor will also be meeting leaders of Scotland’s green energy industry, emphasising our drive to improve Britain’s energy security.

The Chancellor will today reaffirm the UK Government commitment to help the people of Scotland with rising costs in the coming months, as it continues to deliver its £37bn package of support.

On a visit to Edinburgh, Nadhim Zahawi will also emphasise the UK Government’s commitment to energy security and making sure we have the green supplies of power we need for the future.

He will be meeting some of the figures who have led Scotland to the cutting edge of green power generation technology, as well as apprentices starting out in the industry. His visit will take in one of Scotland’s leading companies in the field of tidal energy as well a windfarm capable of providing power to up to 11,000 homes.

This comes in the same week that Chancellor began a series of meetings with energy generation companies as part of ongoing discussions on what more the industry can do to ensure markets function effectively for consumers.

The visit comes as the UK government is providing 689,000 households in Scotland with the £650 cost of living payment as well as £400 to help people with their energy bills, from October, over the winter months. It has also committed an extra £82 million for the Scottish Government to help vulnerable families at their discretion – in addition to the significant income tax and welfare powers they already have.

The UK Government has also launched the Review of Electricity Markets Arrangement to address higher energy costs, the need to boost energy security and the need to move the UK to a cleaner energy system as well as the Energy Security Bill, the most ambitious piece of legislation in the sector for more than a decade.

Zahawi is also sitting down with the leaders of Scotland’s financial services industry, which employs thousands of people in Scotland. He will listen to their concerns and emphasise the UK Government’s commitment to the sector.

The Chancellor will also meet performers from the world-famous Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Chancellor of the Exchequer, Nadhim Zahawi, said: “I know families across Scotland are feeling anxious about rising costs and the UK Government has stepped in to ease pressures on household budgets.

“We delivered an unprecedented level of support in July with a National Insurance cut that will put £330 back into workers’ pockets this year, while many of Scotland’s most vulnerable households have already received the first instalment of a £650 Cost of Living Payment.

“And there’s more to come. Not only will the second instalment of that payment arrive this autumn, but I’ve been clear that we are absolutely committed to bringing an equivalent to the £400 energy bills discount to Northern Ireland as soon as possible to ease the burden on families.

“We will continue to help support families in Northern Ireland through the global pressures we are all facing.”

The UK Government has provided a record £41 billion annual settlement for the next three years and we will continue to work collaboratively with them.

6 million disabled people to get Cost of Living payment from 20 September

  • £150 disability Cost of Living payments to be made from 20 September 2022
  • 6 million people who are paid certain disability benefits will benefit
  • Automatic support part of wider package of help with the rising Cost of Living, including other cost of living payments totalling £650

Those being paid a qualifying disability benefit will be paid automatically from 20 September, with the vast majority of those eligible expected to receive their one-off payment within a couple of weeks by the beginning of October.

The payment will help disabled people with the rising Cost of Living acknowledging the higher disability-related costs they often face, such as care and mobility needs.

For those disabled people on low-incomes, this payment comes on top of other Cost of Living payments totalling £650, £400 for all households to help with energy bills, and an extra £150 for properties in Council Tax bands A-D in England.

Over eight million eligible households in receipt of a means-tested benefit received the first of two automatic Cost of Living payments of £326 from 14 July. The second means-tested payment of £324 will be issued later this year.

Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work Chloe Smith said: “We know disabled people can face additional costs, which is why we are acting to help reduce the financial pressures on the most vulnerable.

“This £150 disability payment is on top of the £1,200 most low income benefit claimants will also receive and alongside wider support targeted at disabled people, including help with transport and prescription costs.

“We know it’s a worrying time for some people and I’d urge them to check they are getting all the support on offer by searching Help for Households.”

The Cost of Living payments from the government are part of a £37 billion package of support, which will see millions of households receive at least £1,200 this year to help cover rising costs.

The government has also expanded support for the Household Support Fund in England – which helps people with food and energy bills – with an extra £421 million – for October 2022 to March 2023, and topped up funding by £79 million for devolved nations; the total value of this support now stands at £1.5 billion.

This is all in addition to changes to the Universal Credit taper rate and work allowances worth £1,000 a year on average for 1.7 million working claimants, a rise in the National Living Wage to £9.50 an hour, and a tax cut for around 30 million workers through a rise in National Insurance contribution thresholds.

UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Nadhim Zahawi said: “We know that rising prices faced by many countries around the world are a significant worry for many people here in the UK, especially those most vulnerable to additional costs.

“Today’s announcement that disabled people will begin to receive an additional £150 payment from the end of September reinforces our commitment to help UK households through the challenging times ahead.

“This payment is in addition to further help households can expect over the coming months – including a second cost of living payment of £324 for households on means-tested benefits, £300 for pensioners this winter and £400 discount on energy bills for every household. This is all part of our significant £37 billion support package.”

  • Those who receive the following disability benefits may be eligible for the one-off payment of £150 in September: Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Attendance Allowance, Scottish Disability Benefits (Adult Disability Payment and Child Disability Payment), Armed Forces Independence Payment, Constant Attendance Allowance and War Pension Mobility Supplement.
  •  Armed Forces Independence Payment, Constant Attendance Allowance and War Pension Mobility Supplement.
  • Those who had confirmed payment of their disability benefit for 25 May are expected to be paid shortly after the payment window opens. For those awaiting confirmation of their disability benefits on 25 May, or who are waiting to be assessed for eligibility to receive disability benefits, the process may take longer but payments will still be automatic.
  • You must have received a payment (or later receive a payment) of one of these qualifying benefits for 25 May 2022 to get the payment.
  • You can read more about the government’s Cost of Living support on the Help with the cost of living page.

Report exposes “frightening” reality of cost of living crisis

A new report from Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) details the breadth and depth of the cost of living crisis, with soaring energy bills driving “frightening” demand for advice around food insecurity.

The charity is publishing a quarterly cost of living analysis looking at advice demand. It found that in more than 1 in 10  utilities cases, the client also required advice around food insecurity such as a food bank referral.

Comparing the first quarter of this year to the previous financial year, the analysis also shows soaring views of online advice in energy areas such as:

At the same time, online page views relating to cost of living issues has increased massively, with “Get help with bills” increasing 122%. The page “Struggling with living costs” has seen a 67% increase, meanwhile views of “Food banks and other crisis help” is up 33%.

Across the CAB network itself, last year 26% of all utilities advice related to cost of living or income crisis measures. In the first quarter of this year that had grown to 35%.

Last year 36% of finance and charitable support advice was food bank referrals or shopping vouchers. In quarter one of this year this had grown to 45%.

The report also analyses demand across demographics, and finds that council rented tenants and those out of work, or unable to work, are seeking advice related to the cost of living at higher levels than other groups.

The charity is warning that this increased demand is before the impact of  a “toxic cocktail” this winter of the energy price cap going up, higher inflation, and increased interest rates.

Citizens Advice Scotland Chief Executive Derek Mitchell said: “The Citizens Advice network gives a wraparound service when people come to us for advice because people have complex problems and need help with multiple issues. Our data tracks the patterns and connections between the advice we are giving out and the problems society faces. What we are seeing is frankly frightening.

“More than one in every ten people seeking help with an energy issue also requires help with food insecurity. Let’s be absolutely clear what that means – some people face the prospect of freezing or starving this winter.

“This crisis is affecting everyone, but some people are especially at risk – our data shows higher demand for advice from council tenants, those out of work and those unable to work. That to me suggests broad support alone will not be enough – there needs to be targeted help for the vulnerable.

“We are seeing these issues before a toxic cocktail this winter of soaring energy bills, growing inflation and higher interest rates. People are hanging on by their finger tips and it’s the summer – how are they expected to cope when the temperature drops and bills rise?

“CABs are here for people during this crisis. We helped 171,000 people last year and a further 2.5 million checked our online advice. We are for everyone regardless of background or circumstance and it’s so important people understand we are here for them with free, confidential and impartial advice. We don’t judge, we just help.

“That help though, needs to be back up by policymakers delivering the kind or urgent and significant policy interventions to help people. Make no mistake, this is a challenge on a scale of the 2008 financial crisis or the 2020 pandemic, and will require solutions to match that.”

CAS-col_aug_2022_Download

TUC calls on ministers to get pay rising, as real wages fall again

Commenting on Tuesday’s labour market figures published by the ONS, which show real wages falling by 4.1 per cent (on CPI measure) as the cost of living crisis intensifies, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Everyone who works deserves financial security. 

“But with the Bank of England predicting the worst decline in real pay for 100 years, energy bills soaring and a recession on the horizon, millions of working families are worried they won’t be able to keep their heads above water this winter. 

“We need action from ministers now. They should cancel the increase to the energy price cap. And they must do far more to get pay rising – starting with boosting the minimum wage this autumn and giving public sector workers a decent pay rise.”  

Zero-hours contracts 

Commenting on the latest data on zero-hours contracts also published by the ONS yesterday, which show more than one million people are employed on these terms, Frances added:  ““The government promised a high skill, high wage economy. 

“But too many workers are stuck on insecure contracts that give them and their families no security. As the cost of living crisis escalates, the case for banning hated zero-hours contracts is stronger than ever.” 

The ONS figures are available at: 

https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peopleinwork/employmentandemployeetypes/bulletins/uklabourmarket/august2022  

Latest figures published this morning show INFLATION rose to 10.1% in July.

First Minister to convene summit with energy suppliers and campaign groups

The First Minister will convene an urgent summit with energy supply companies and consumer groups later this month, to discuss how advice and support for people struggling with energy bills can be improved.

The summit will consider what collective action can be taken by government, energy companies and the third sector to help businesses and consumers access advice, and get support with debt issues.

Scotland’s major energy suppliers including Scottish Power, OVO Energy, Centrica, Octopus and E.ON, as well as industry bodies and key consumer and poverty organisations will attend.

The summit follows last week’s meeting of the Scottish Government Resilience Committee on the cost living crisis and will take place ahead of OfGem’s next energy price cap announcement on 26 August.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “I know that this is an incredibly unsettling time for households and energy consumers across Scotland and the Scottish Government will continue to do everything we can to support those affected.

“There is a not a single solution to this problem and government, industry and the third sector in Scotland needs to work collaboratively together to ensure the right support is in place for householders and businesses during this challenging winter. This could include improving the availability of help and advice and considering a more compassionate approach to debt management.

“However, it remains the case that the powers and resources needed to tackle this emergency on the scale required – access to borrowing, welfare, VAT on fuel, taxation of windfall profits, regulation of the energy market – lie with the UK Government.

“Only the UK Government can access and make available resources on the scale required. They need to take action, now. As I said last week, a first step would be to cancel the energy price cap rise this autumn.”

Peter Kelly, Director, The Poverty Alliance said: “We are pleased that the First Minister will be convening this summit of energy companies, along with the Poverty Alliance and Energy Action Scotland.

“Across the country, people are increasingly being swept up amid a rising tide of hardship. But with the energy price cap due to increase in October, that tide threatens to become a flood.

“Households up and down Scotland are terrified of what the colder months will bring and the likelihood is that – without further action – lives and life chances will be at risk. The situation could scarcely be more urgent.

“But it is a situation we can do something about, by taking action to protect people most at risk of poverty and deeper hardship. It is that much-needed and urgent action that we are hoping the summit can bring about.”

Frazer Scott, CEO of Energy Action Scotland said: “With our colleagues at the Poverty Alliance, we welcome the First Minister’s intervention in gathering energy companies together to talk about how we can best support households struggling to afford spiralling energy bills.

“Fuel poverty will affect over one million Scottish households this winter requiring urgent intervention focussed on targeting those most in need.

“Cold, damp homes affect health and wellbeing and will put thousands of lives at risk as well as adding additional pressure to the NHS, making this a vital intervention for Scotland.”

The Scottish Government estimates that 906,000 or 36% of all households will be in fuel poverty in October 2022, based on an Ofgem price cap of £2,800 and taking into account previously announced government mitigations.

Feed your kid on a budget during the summer holidays

 With food prices rising amid the cost-of-living crisis, parents are being provided helpful ways to feed their children during the summer holidays.

The penny-pinching experts at NetVoucherCodes.co.uk have looked at affordable ways to plan family meals throughout the summer break.

As supermarkets and fast-food chains increase their prices at the highest rates in over a decade, many parents are worried about the cost of feeding the kids during the holidays.

To support parents in the UK, restaurants and garden centres are offering discounted meals for kids to eat out, but there’s also simple methods to save money when cooking for the family at home.

Mitch Barnes, online consumer expert from NetVoucherCodes.co.uk said: “We wanted to give parents a helping hand this summer, as many will feel the pinch of rising food costs in their weekly expenses.

 “There are numerous schemes available this summer with a wide range of pubs and supermarket restaurants offering special discounts for kids to eat out. 

“But we also wanted to provide simple ways for parents to save money on making meals at home for their children during the holidays.”

Here are NetVoucherCodes.co.uk’s budget-friendly ways to feed your kid on a budget this summer:

Picky bits for dinner

A classic British summer favourite which many households are familiar with this summer. To make the most of the leftover meals, leave them in the fridge overnight and get creative about which bits can be used for dinner. This tip will save you from making a last-minute trip to the supermarket.

Batch cooking

Many parents use this effective way to make batches of school lunches in the week. Use this tip throughout summer by freezing your food and allocating which days the kids can tuck into a delicious meal without going out to buy more ingredients.

Shop around for summer deals

If the local supermarkets are near one another, don’t be afraid to venture out to each store to work out which has the best offers. Most shops will be near the end of summer discounts, which means the chances of finding even better deals are at an all-time high.

Discounted pub meals

Local pubs are providing a variety of discounts for kids to eat cheaper this summer, from half price fish and chips to chicken nuggets for a dime. Head down and find out which are available.

A trip to the garden centre

Taking the family to the garden centre is the perfect summer day out, with fresh flowers, gardening tools and this summer – discounted meals. Lots of centres are taking on the helping kids this summer initiative, so look up your local garden centre to see what offers are available.

Cheap meals at supermarket restaurants

Throughout the summer holidays, many supermarket chains are offering further discounts on kid’s meals to help with the rising food costs. Have a look at which ones are offering free meals, with many promoting a £1 dine out option.

‘Once a week’ rule

Set some time aside for a family meal out by using the ‘once a week’ rule where you either dine out weekly or you get a takeaway of your choice as a family treat. This way you can plan around your food shops so less food will be wasted, which will also help to prevent overspending allocating food budgets.

Social media budget recipes

Everyone has a favourite social media recipe which has become a weekly make. But if you’re unsure of any meals which can be added to your cookbook, explore social media apps for simple recipes which will cost less than a fiver to make.

Family pizza making

Instead of the Saturday night takeaway, it can be a proper family get together making your own homemade pizzas. While the children are off school it’s a perfect initiative to use this to spend quality time with them, without having to splash a fortune on takeout.

Yellow stickers before scheme ends

The best before scheme is phasing out, so it’s important to make the most of a late minute dash to the shops for reduced labelled food. Have a look in the evenings and on a Sunday afternoon to have the best chance of securing food on a budget.

Family meal plan

It’s best to be organised when planning meals to save the extra pennies. To make this more creative, mark each day with a different colour pen and decorate with stickers when it’s time for a special dish or a day when you’re dining out. 

Try veggie days

Meats typically cost the most on weekly meals. If you decide to swap the meat for veggie choices it can save around a third on select meals during the week. Have a look at meals which don’t involve meat or try out some delicious veggie options for half the price.

For budget-friendly ways to feed the kids during the summer holidays, head over to NetVoucherCodes.co.uk.

Fraser of Allander Institute update: Energy Costs and Fuel Poverty

The week’s economic news has again been dominated by the implications of inflation, and in particular of huge increases in household energy bills.

Projections for the energy price cap have again been revised up. The latest projections indicate that the price cap could reach around £3,500 in October, and increase further to around £4,400 in April. It is incredible to think that the cap was £1,277 earlier this year (having now increased to £1,971).

Such levels of increases will have severe impacts on households. In Scotland, a quarter of households were already in fuel poverty in 2019, the year in which the Fuel Poverty (Targets, Definition, Strategy) (Scotland) Act received Royal Assent.

That Act determines that a household is in fuel poverty if two conditions hold:

  • First, that in order to heat the home to a satisfactory level, the household would need to spend more than 10 per cent of its net income on fuel; and
  • Second, if, after deducting those fuel costs, and other essential costs associated with disability, care needs or childcare, the household’s income is below 90% of the UK Minimum Income Standard.

The definition therefore is not based on what a household actually spends on fuel, but on what they need to spend to heat their home to an acceptable level.

The daunting projections for energy bills will undoubtedly lead to a substantial increase in fuel poverty throughout 2022 and 2023. Quite how many households will be in fuel poverty according to the official definition will depend in part on what further action the government decides to take. But it is clear that a broad swathe of low and middle income households will be placed under severe financial strain.

The political debates this week have again focussed both on the level and targeting of further support the government should provide.

There is a clear case for targeting. In Scotland, almost all households (96%) with incomes below £200 per week were already in fuel poverty in 2019; but amongst households whose incomes were above £500 per week, fuel poverty rates were negligible. Further targeting via the social security system therefore seems appropriate.

But it should also be remembered that the financial distress caused by the energy price crisis will extend well beyond the poorest, and further broader-based support would also be justified. This is where the delivery mechanism becomes more challenging. Government could subsidise bills universally, although this would be expensive, providing support to some households whose need for support is relatively less.

But trying to provide support to low and middle income households only is tricky. Using the council tax system is far from ideal given the weak links between council tax band and income.

Households in bands A and B are relatively more likely to be in fuel poverty, but over 14% of Scottish households in bands F, G and H were in fuel poverty in 2019. On this basis, using council tax band as a way to limit the breadth of financial support provided has clear disadvantages.

It now seems unlikely that the UK government will announce its next round of support for households until the Conservative leadership contest has concluded. Depending on the mechanisms it chooses for delivering that support, the Scottish government may be allocated additional resources of its own which it can prioritise as it deems fit, or the support may be delivered at UK level (via energy bills or the social security system).