Fuel Poverty in Northern Ireland
Age NI shares the concerns of National Energy Action NI (NEANI) and the Fuel Poverty Coalition about fuel poverty in Northern Ireland.
Everyone should be able to live in a warm, safe and energy efficient home. We fear that this will be denied to thousands of homes and many older people in the coming weeks and months now that we have been warned to expect further increases to energy costs.
We support the calls to action in the campaign led by NEA and the Fuel Poverty Coalition:
• A crisis intervention scheme for those worst affected by the energy price hikes
• Creation of a fuel poverty taskforce to oversee effective role out of scheme
• Creation of a new fuel poverty strategy for NI
"I have oil and I find it difficult to check how much I actually have left, I’m always afraid I’m going to run out"
"The price of heating is very expensive, but I need it on all day as I’m housebound and feel the cold a lot. I would worry that I would run out"
National Energy Action NI’s Winter Newsletter
Here is a link to National Energy Action NI’s Winter Newsletter which contains practical information for both householders and MPs along with contact numbers for a range of services that might help.
NEA Fuel Poverty Guide
NEA recently published a Fuel Poverty Action Guide designed to help MLAs and MPs guide people through the range of support available Find it here.
The Fuel Poverty Coalition Manifesto for Warmth
The Fuel Poverty Coalition Manifesto for Warmth outlines seven key asks that members agreed upon as a means to tackle fuel poverty in NI. It was created in the summer in response to the NI Energy Strategy so doesn’t include the immediate ask of crisis intervention for this winter, however in terms of longer term thinking the asks in this document are still considered to be the best approach to alleviating longer term hardship.