4 September 2002
WARM HOMES SAVE MONEY AND IMPROVE HEALTH - DODDS
An initiative to counter fuel poverty has been shown to save people on low income £10 per week, improve their health and benefit the environment, Nigel Dodds MP MLA, the Minister for Social Development said today.
The Minister was speaking at the City Hall in Belfast when researchers from the University of Ulster presented their findings on the Beechmount Energy and Environmental Project which was funded by his Department.
"It is very satisfying to see how this initiative, which is now being rolled out throughout Northern Ireland as the Warm Homes Scheme, has produced a series of benefits and improved the quality of life for the people.
"The evidence of the benefits to be derived from providing energy efficient measures goes beyond our expectations.
"Firstly, people are living in warmer homes but spending less on heating costs. Spending on fuel and electricity by householders in the area has decreased by £10-30 per week providing an additional £480 in disposable income annually.
"Secondly, a warmer home for many residents has resulted in an improvement in their health with reductions in conditions such as asthma, respiratory complaints and arthritis.
"Thirdly, and appropriately in a week when world leaders are meeting to find ways to protect the environment, our scheme has led to dramatic decreases in pollution.It has been estimated that the scheme has led to a reduction of 1,174 tonnes in carbon dioxide emissions per year.
"The project challenged our perception of what life in fuel poverty is like and, perhaps more importantly, gave us an indication of how the installation of energy efficiency and heating measures can literally transform peoples’ lives."
The Minister praised the partnership of organisations which had made the project such a resounding success. These include, the Blackie Community Group, Belfast Regeneration Office, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, Bryson House, the Eaga Partnership, NIE,Phoenix Natural Gas and North and West Belfast Health Action Zone.
The Minister added: "This project has been influential in many ways most notably it has reinforced the need to work in partnership to combat fuel poverty and for a co-ordinated effort involving all key stakeholders."
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