Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan Schemes Contract administration and management: equality impact assessment

The Scope of the EQIA

The framing exercise for this EQIA utilises the resources gathered through previous EQIAs on this policy area, including the respective EQIAs for the Heat in Buildings (HIBs) consultation and the HIBs strategy, updating them with more recent resources where available.

EST were contracted to provide information on the kinds of measures already in place to address elements of discrimination or equality.

In this case a framing exercise determined that an EQIA was required.

Throughout this review the Scottish Government gathered qualitative and quantitative data from:

• Energy Saving Trust (EST)
• EHRC: Is Scotland Fairer?, 2019
• National Statistics: Scottish Household Survey, 2019
• National Statistics: Scottish Household Survey, 2020
• Age UK: Age UK research finds many older people are struggling to access local public services in an increasingly digital world, 2023

The framing exercise raised several points relating to some of the protected characteristics.

Age:

The application process uses both a phone service and online applications, which may potentially be harder to access for older groups. This may mean that a paper application form is necessary.

More information was necessary from the delivery agent, EST, to establish what processes were already in place to improve accessibility and promote inclusivity.

Disability:

Those with a hearing impairment may struggle to access the phone service, which may discourage these individuals from contacting the Home Energy Scotland (HES) advice service.

Must be in plain English, ie sight impairment, black font on white page, alt text of pictures, enlarge fonts. EST carried out an assessment of these at the beginning of the new application process to ensure that the new application was in plain English. EST will provide the application form in paper form or braille on request.

More information was necessary from the delivery agent, EST, to establish what processes were already in place to improve accessibility and promote inclusivity.

Gender assignment:

The application form does request that individuals list their titles. These title requirements may be discriminatory and shoehorn people into selecting titles which are not accurate.

Officials were unclear whether pronouns were requested at any point or required.

More information was necessary from the delivery agent, EST, to establish what processes were already in place to improve accessibility and promote inclusivity.

Marital or civil partnership status:

There were no perceived issues concerning marital or civil partnership status relating to the scheme application process.

Pregnancy and maternity:

There were no perceived issues concerning pregnancy and maternity relating to the scheme application process.

Race/Nationality:

Different language requirements may make it difficult to access the service including over the phone and on the online platform. The Scottish Government are aware that translation services are available for the phone but did not know the exact nature of this service.

More information was necessary from the delivery agent, EST, to establish what processes were already in place to improve accessibility and promote inclusivity.

Religious beliefs:

There are no perceived issues concerning religious beliefs relating to the scheme application process.

Sex:

There were no perceived issues relating to sex relating to the scheme application process.

Sexual Orientation:

There were no perceived issues relating to sexual orientation relating to the scheme application process.