75,000 Scottish households receive energy support as one in three fear winter bills

More than 75,000 households across Scotland have received energy advice or support thanks to the efforts of an Edinburgh-based social enterprise.

The support provided by Changeworks and its partner services over the past year comes as one in three people worry about winter bills, with another potential large hike coming in January.

Changeworks’ impact report sets out the scale of the work undertaken over the past 12 months, supporting households to manage increasing energy costs, improve their homes and tackle fuel poverty, alongside the enterprise’s role delivering energy efficiency and home retrofit programmes for organisations across the energy and housing sectors.

Changeworks' impact report sets out the support provided by the social enterprise and its partner services over the past year.

Changeworks recorded £12.2 million in turnover in 2025-26 and has almost 40 years’ experience supporting households and delivering energy efficiency programmes. The social enterprise is now looking to work with partners across Scotland and the wider UK to scale its impact.

According to the impact report, 61,385 households received energy advice during the 2025-26 financial year while 12,145 homes were supported to install energy efficiency measures. More than 1,500 people experiencing fuel poverty received in-depth advocacy and support.

Over the same period, Changeworks’ Affordable Warmth Services helped households secure more than £1m in savings through income maximisation, billing advocacy and financial support via grant applications for energy costs.

New polling commissioned for the social enterprise shows that more than a third (37 per cent) of Scots are seriously worried about being able to afford their energy bills this winter.

Josiah Lockhart is the chief executive of Changeworks.

From the start of October, the energy price cap rose by 4 per cent, increasing the annual cost for a typical household paying by direct debit to £1,723. Those annual bills are forecast to rise by as much as £300 at the next review in January.

Josiah Lockhart, chief executive of Changeworks, said: “Earlier this year we warned that many households had already reached the limit of what they could cut back. Unfortunately, just as people prepare for winter, they are once again facing higher energy bills.

“Our latest impact report shows the growth in the support we deliver across Scotland and the wider UK, from helping households manage energy costs and access financial support to improving the energy efficiency of their homes. There is, of course, still much more to do.

“We need sustained and increased investment in energy efficiency programmes, scaled up support for households experiencing fuel poverty and debt, including the reintroduction of the Fuel Insecurity Fund,” he added. “We also need policies that reflect the higher energy costs faced by rural and island communities, reform of the energy price cap, and targeted protections such as a social tariff to better support households most at risk.”

The impact report is the first from Changeworks against its 2025-30 strategic plan and reflects the organisation’s role as a delivery partner for social landlords, local authorities, energy companies, distribution network operators, funders and technology and innovation partners across the UK.

Since 2013, Changeworks has worked with local authorities and communities through Energy Efficiency Scotland: Area Based Schemes, managing more than £110m in funding.