New figures showing significant improvements in home energy efficiency across Scotland have been welcomed by SNP candidate for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch Eilidh Munro.
The latest statistics show that 62 per cent of homes in Scotland are now rated EPC C or higher on the Energy Performance Certificate scale.
That represents an increase of 38 percentage points since 2010.
At the same time, the number of properties sitting within the three lowest EPC bands has fallen sharply.
Just eight per cent of homes now fall into those lowest categories, compared with 27 per cent in 2010.
The data also suggests fuel poverty has fallen nationally.
An estimated 28.7 per cent of Scottish households were classed as being in fuel poverty in 2024, down from 33.9 per cent the previous year.
Extreme fuel poverty also dropped from 19.4 per cent of homes in 2023 to 14 per cent in 2024.
However, concerns remain that rising energy prices later this year could place further pressure on household finances.
Eilidh Munro said the figures demonstrate progress in improving Scotland’s housing stock.
“Within the limited powers available to us, we’ve been able to make significant progress to improve energy efficiency in existing homes across Scotland, as well as investing in over 8500 new well-insulated, affordable homes across the Highlands.
“It’s really encouraging to see statistics demonstrating the improvements to Scotland’s housing stock while the SNP have been in power.”
Ms Munro also highlighted the impact of housing developments across the Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch constituency in recent years.
“Across the constituency of Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, there have been a great many new housing developments completed in recent years, with more still in progress or planned to begin imminently.”
However she acknowledged that access to affordable housing remains a challenge in many rural areas.
“But affordable housing whether to rent or buy remains a challenge for local people across many parts of our constituency, and there’s a lot of work still to be done.
“That’s why I was really pleased to see that a new grant scheme is due to be established by the SNP Scottish Government for our rural and island areas to help people put down roots in their own communities.
“This will, in turn, help with filling local vacancies in public services and businesses.
“While fuel poverty fell between 2023 and 2024, it’s still outrageous that it exists at all in a country that is so energy rich.
“To properly tackle high energy bills for good, for homes and businesses, we need the full powers that a fresh start with independence will bring.”
