Glasgow City Council to introduce 'warm banks' for freezing Scots this winter

The Scottish Greens said their motion will save lives ahead of a potentially “deadly” winter with thousands likely to go cold due to sky-rocketing energy prices.

Warm banks, similar to food banks but for people in fuel poverty, will see public spaces used by residents unable to heat their homes during the colder months.

Glasgow City Council has been instructed to set up a network that includes its own buildings and those of arms-length bodies such as Glasgow Life, with local politicians saying it could also include buildings from faith communities and the third sector.

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The council said it will look for suitable sites for warm banks in the coming weeks.

Scottish Green councillor for Blair Anderson said the measure was needed as the cost-of-living crisis turns into a “humanitarian disaster”.

He said: “During the summer heatwaves, I had constituents telling me that they were scared to use fans for fear of the bills.

“Extreme weather is becoming the norm and if there’s a cold snap, there is a real chance that people will become severely unwell or even freeze to death this winter.”

“Every level of government needs to be doing what we can to stop this crisis from escalating even further and to save lives this winter. That’s why we proposed warm banks, and why Greens in government are freezing rents, banning evictions and putting billions into cost of living relief.”

Glasgow City Council hopes to identify suitable facilities to be used as warm banks in the coming weeks

Anderson urged the UK Government to undo the planned hikes in energy prices.

He said: “I’m sick of having to spend so much time and money mitigating the impacts of a government who doesn’t care whether the most vulnerable in our society live or die.

“We can’t accept warm banks as just another feature of our failed social security system, like we’ve seen with food banks over the past decade of austerity.

“But in the face of inaction at Westminster, I’m glad that following today’s vote Glasgow will play our part in keeping people warm and safe this winter.”

SNP councillor Ruairi Kelly said urgent action is needed as many Scots struggle to pay their energy bills.

He said: “It is a sad indictment of failed energy policy in the UK that we are having to talk about providing warm places for people to spend the day because the cost of energy is becoming unaffordable for far too many of our citizens.

“We have a responsibility in local government to respond to this crisis. So now, and in the weeks ahead, we’re mapping the services and facilities available and working with third sector partners to identify accessible buildings which can provide additional warm places this winter.

“These will be buildings which are well known to communities. It’s important, though, that this is also about providing a space where people can come and socialise and be offered access to financial inclusion support and social activities.

“The magnitude of this requires immediacy, and the intention would be to have what is available publicised and open by early October through to March – but with the recognition that more places may become available as other partners join what will need to be a Team Glasgow effort.”

There have been increasing calls for warm banks across Scotland.

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A Savanta ComRes poll at the end of August - before the latest price rises - showed that 69% of people will be using their heating less this winter, and a further 23% of people were planning not to put their heating on at all this winter.

It comes after Prime Minister Liz Truss has said that “a typical household” will pay no more than £2500 per year for their energy – below the predicted energy price cap rise.

It is a major intervention from the UK Government and is expected to cost around £150 billion – to be funded by borrowing.

The new £2500 still amounts to a rise of £529 but is lower than the predicted October increase which was predicted to see bills soar by more than 80%.