Don’t let ‘warm banks’ become as vital as food banks, Scottish charities urge

Campaigners say emergency response to fuel poverty risks shifting focus away from government responsibility

Scotland's leading anti-poverty campaigners are urging councils and communities not to repeat past mistakes" by allowing warm banks" - for those unable to afford heating their homes over the winter months - to become as entrenched as food banks.

The plea was made in a joint statement from the Poverty Alliance, Trussell Trust Scotland and the Cyrenians that cautions that emergency responses to escalating fuel poverty, however well-intentioned, risk shifting the focus away from government responsibility to ensure all citizens are able to heat their homes.