The independent Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum has today called for consumers to have greater access to information about energy costs and the benefits that are available, as part of plans to end fuel poverty in Scotland.

By 2016 the Scottish Government is obliged by statute to have removed all households from fuel poverty, the situation where a household spends more than a tenth of its income on keeping warm.

In the new report the forum proposes an Energy Assistance Package, including energy efficiency help for the most vulnerable households, as well as greater availability of advice on energy tariffs, benefits and tax credits.

However, the forum warns that although these steps are important, they will not by themselves ensure the 2016 statutory target is met. It also believes a "step change" in energy efficiency investment is needed from the Scottish and Westminster Governments, as well as private energy companies.

The independent chair of the Fuel Poverty Forum, Reverend Graham Blount, said: "Many people will view the coming winter with trepidation about their fuel bills.

"Governments, energy companies and others need to join up their action to tackle this; that is why the forum puts forward a joined-up package to focus resources on those in most difficulty, where we urgently need to make a difference. It won't solve the problem, but could be a big step along the way to the 2016 target."

The forum noted that "significant steps" have been taken to tackle fuel poverty in recent years, but it argues now is the time for a new approach to begin.

Kaliani Lyle, chief executive of Citizens Advice Scotland, added: "The CAB service sees increasing numbers of people struggling with their fuel bills. We hope the Scottish Government will heed the findings of this report and recognise the urgent need to allocate more resources to tackling the dreadful scourge of fuel poverty."

Norman Kerr, director of Energy Action Scotland, agreed that "there is much still to do" but argued that the forum's proposals "will be a significant step to providing help to those vulnerable households who for too long have had little support".