More than £100m is to be invested to tackle fuel poverty in Scotland.

The £103m funding includes a new £14m loans scheme which will offer homeowners interest-free loans of up to £10,000 for energy efficiency measures.

The Scottish Government will also launch the next phase of its Cashback scheme which will see £10m made available to homeowners and private tenants, and £5m for social landlords.

Through the scheme private sector households will be able to claim up to £5,800 for installations recommended by an energy advice report, and households in remote areas will be entitled to greater amounts to cover the increased costs they face. In 2014/15, 1,700 social landlord tenants benefitted from the Cashback scheme, while it delivered 4,000 energy efficiency measures to 3,400 households in the private sector.

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The measures, combined with £65m for area-based fuel poverty schemes and funding for support and advice to householders, takes the Scottish Government's commitment to tackling fuel poverty and improving energy efficiency in 2015/16 to £103m.

Housing Minister Margaret Burgess announced the investment on a visit to meet residents from Irvine Housing Association.

She said: "It is unacceptable that anyone should experience fuel poverty in Scotland which is why we are investing more than £103 million to tackle this issue head on.

"Our new loan scheme will give homeowners the opportunity to apply for interest-free loans which will make it easier for them to take action and install energy efficiency measures in their properties. The loan can be used alongside the Cashback voucher.

"I'd encourage anyone with fuel poverty concerns to seek free and impartial advice on how they can reduce their energy costs or how to receive support for home insulation, boilers or central heating, by contacting Home Energy Scotland on 0808 808 2282."

(CD/JP)