National Energy Action Northern Ireland (NEA NI) has welcomed the launch of the Department for Communities (DfC) Emergency Fuel Payment Scheme, announced on 24 January 2022, but said the funding allocated to it is not enough to meet demand. The scheme, worth £2 million, is intended to help 20,000 households in Northern Ireland1.
NEA NI said the allocation "falls significantly short of what is required to mitigate the worst impacts of the ongoing Energy Crisis in Northern Ireland", and that it believes many more households are living in fuel poverty than the scheme will reach1.
"We therefore welcome the launch of DfC's Emergency Fuel Payment Scheme"
The charity cited the 2016 Northern Ireland House Condition Survey, which found a fuel poverty rate of 22% in Northern Ireland. The same survey estimated around 43,800 households were in extreme fuel poverty, meaning they would need to spend over 15% of their total income to heat their homes1.
NEA NI also said Northern Ireland has among the lowest levels of household income across the UK and the highest weekly household expenditure on energy of any UK region. It said these pressures are amplified by the ongoing energy crisis, which has seen fuel prices rise to record levels, and that many households face the prospect of cold homes during the winter months1.
The organisation raised a further concern about access, saying the scheme could be difficult to reach for households who are digitally excluded and who therefore require additional support1. It called on the Northern Ireland Executive to agree a broader package of support to protect households from fuel poverty1.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Scheme budget | £2 million |
| Households the scheme aims to help | 20,000 |
| Northern Ireland fuel poverty rate (2016 survey) | 22% |
| Households in extreme fuel poverty (2016 survey) | approximately 43,800 |
Why it matters for households
The £2 million scheme is aimed at 20,000 households, but the 2016 survey figures NEA NI cites suggest the number in fuel poverty is far larger, and the number in extreme fuel poverty alone, at around 43,800, is more than double the scheme's target. For a household in that position, spending over 15% of total income on heating leaves little room to absorb further price rises, and the charity's point is that a fixed pot of money spread across a set number of households will not reach everyone in need1.
The access concern matters for help for low-income households in Northern Ireland: a scheme that is hard to apply for without internet access can miss the households least able to manage rising costs. Northern Ireland's separate energy market and its position on income and energy spending, as set out by NEA NI, shape how much of a household's budget is exposed to price movements, which is central to energy independence at home. Households dealing with arrears or payment difficulty can find routes through help with energy bills and debt in Northern Ireland, and the wider picture of home energy grants in Northern Ireland sets the emergency payment in context.
What happens next
NEA NI has called on the Northern Ireland Executive to agree a broader package of support for households in fuel poverty1. No further funding, timetable or eligibility detail beyond the £2 million and 20,000 households has been reported1.