6 July 2005
MINISTER SETS OUT HIS PLANS TO ERADICATE FUEL POVERTY
Fuel poverty is wrong and must be ended, Social Development Minister David Hanson MP has said.
The Minister was speaking following a meeting, held yesterday, with Neighbourhood Energy Action and a group of MLAs to discuss the issue.
"In Northern Ireland too many people suffer from fuel poverty. This situation is wrong and I am determined that it will end. This is why I have made the eradication of fuel poverty one of my key priorities in the coming months and years.
"The Fuel Poverty Strategy, launched last year, sets targets for the eradication of fuel poverty in all vulnerable households and in all social housing by 2010 and in all other households by 2016. These are challenging targets but I am confident that they can be achieved.
"My Department has already committed significant resources to tackling this issue – over £12m for the Warm Homes Scheme in this current financial year allowing over 8000 houses to benefit. I am hopeful that the results of the House Condition Survey, which should be available in a few months, will show that these resources are beginning to have an impact leading to reduced levels of fuel poverty by the end of this year.
"The winter fuel payment, which assists all pensioners has been increased from £20 in 1997 to between £200 and £300 (depending on age) in the current financial year and this also makes an important contribution towards helping the most vulnerable members of our society cope with the scourge of fuel poverty.’’
The Minister drew attention to the Housing Executive’s heating replacement programme and its general housing stock maintenance programmes, funded by DSD which address over 9,000 households annually.
"However, the provision of physical improvements to properties can never of themselves, completely eradicate the problem; income also is an important factor. With this in mind the Social Security Agency has developed a Benefit Uptake Strategy for 2005/06 which includes test exercises targeting pensioners to make them more aware of the benefits available to them. If the exercises are successful, the Agency will launch a major campaign next year.
"Elderly people are more vulnerable to cold related illness and these initiatives will bring more eligible pensioners into the benefit system and, also encourage take-up of assistance through the Warm Homes Scheme."
The Minister concluded: "My meetings with the voluntary sector and elected representatives have made it clear to me that the effective way to tackle fuel poverty is on the basis of a partnership approach involving the public/private and voluntary and community sectors working together. The establishment of the Inter Departmental Working Group and the Fuel Poverty Advisory Group marks a major milestone in this regard.
"We have the building blocks in place and I am satisfied that we can, over the next few years, make a major contribution towards improving the quality of life, and more importantly, the life expectancy, of the most vulnerable members of our society."
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