25 April 2005
FUNDING FOR FUEL POVERTY STRATEGY
The Department for Social Development today defended its attempts to address the problem of fuel poverty in Northern Ireland and expressed disappointment at the negative stance which the fuel poverty lobby group National Energy Action (NEA) continues to adopt in this regard.
A spokesperson from the Department explained that it continues to allocate large amounts of funding to a series of programmes aimed at addressing fuel poverty, particularly among vulnerable groups such as the elderly. He drew attention to the Warm Homes Scheme for which funding has been increased from just over £3 million in 2001 to almost £12 million in the current financial year. This additional funding has increased the number of households benefiting from 4250 in 2001 to 8250 in the current financial year.
However, the Warm Homes scheme is just one of a number of programmes which are aimed at addressing fuel poverty. For instance, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive’s maintenance and improvements programmes and the private sector grants scheme, all of which include measures to address fuel poverty, account for £82 million in the current financial year. In addition, approximately £54 million is paid out by the Department for Social Development in cold weather and winter fuel payments.
Since the launch of the Fuel Poverty Strategy in November, the Department has successfully obtained an additional £12M over a three year period. The Department has also increased the Warm Homes scheme grant levels from £2,700 to £4,500 thus ensuring that the scheme can provide the best possible heating schemes for those who are eligible for such measures.
The suggestion that the measures available under the Warm Homes scheme should be extended to include all pensioners, families with children and families with disabled persons, regardless of their financial means, would be at variance with the Department’s mission statement, which includes a commitment towards tackling disadvantage, as it would divert resources from those in need.
The spokesman concluded that the Department has established membership of the Fuel Poverty Advisory Group and all those invited to be members have accepted, with the exception of Ms McCluskey from NEA. The first meeting of the group is scheduled for after the General Election.
Click here to print this press release.
