Campaigners are urging Scottish political parties to tackle the 'scourge' of cold homes after new figures reveal nearly 1.5 million households are considered 'cold' across the country.

An estimated 1,482,000 homes (62%) in Scotland are rated 'unhealthily cold', below a band C EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) standard.

Band C is the minimum level of warmth needed to reduce the risk of death and ill health.

Overall, seven constituencies in Scotland contain over 75% of households which are estimated to be living in a cold home, while three regions have more than half of households living in an 'acceptable' energy efficiency rating.

Campaigners from the Existing Homes Alliance are now urging political parties to act and commit to making all homes energy category C standard by 2025.

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Alan Ferguson, Chair of the organisation, said: "These figures show that if the next Scottish Government set an objective to bring all homes in Scotland to at least a 'C' energy performance standard by 2025, they could end the scourge of cold homes currently affecting thousands of households in every single parliamentary constituency across Scotland.

"Not only did more than 50 business and civil society organisations welcome the cross-party commitment to making improved energy efficiency for Scotland's homes a National Infrastructure Priority, but the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence suggested a 'C' standard is the minimum energy efficiency level to reduce the risk of death and ill-health associated with cold homes."

Dr Sam Gardner, Head of Policy at WWF Scotland, added: "Heating Scotland's buildings accounts for over half of our climate change emissions. Ensuring every home reaches a C Energy performance standard by 2025 is the minimum level of ambition required to allow our climate change targets to be met.

"A political commitment that no-one should live in a hard-to-heat, draughty home would be good for millions of households, and would drastically reduce emissions too."

(LM/JP)