FUEL POVERTY IN NORTHERN IRELAND

1
FUEL POVERTY IN NORTHERN IRELAND

• David Crothers
• Director of Housing
• Department for Social Development

2
Causes and definitions

• Fuel poverty attributable to income, poor energy
  efficiency and energy costs
• Household in fuel poverty if over 10 of income
  is spent on maintaining an acceptable level of
  temperature throughout the home
• Vulnerable household contains elderly person,
  person with a disability or child under 16

3
Extent and analysis

• 203,000 households equates to 1 in 3
• 50 in owner occupier sector
• Not confined to elderly persons
• Households aged 18 24 most likely to be in fuel
  poverty
• Majority of households with incomes under 10,000
  fuel poor
• Link between solid fuel and fuel poverty

4
Tackling fuel poverty

• Ending Fuel Poverty A Strategy for Northern
  Ireland launched last year
• Widespread focused consultation
• Targets to reduce fuel poverty in all vulnerable
  households and social housing sector by 2010
• Eradicate fuel poverty in all households by 2016

5
Action required

• Partnership approach
• Energy Efficiency Standards in Housing
• Fuel Costs and the Energy Companies
• Maximising Household Income
• Promoting Help for Fuel Poverty and Raising
  Awareness
• Innovation

6
Key players

• Government Departments
• Private sector
• Business community
• Local authorities
• Voluntary sector
• Community sector

7
Current Programmes

• Warm Homes Scheme
• NIHE Heating Replacement Scheme
• Energy Efficiency Levy
• Pilot Projects
• Benefit Uptake Projects
• Energy Performance Certificate
• Improved Building Standards

8
Resources

• Programme Annual Resources
• New Build Social Housing 93,868,000
• NIHE Stock Maintenance 147,754,000
• Warm Homes Scheme 11,800,000
• NIHE Private Sector Grants 45,580,000
• Winter Fuel Payments 49,900,000
• Energy efficiency levy 3,800,000
• Fuel poverty pilot projects 279,600

9
Milestone targets

• 2004 158,000
• 2005 138,000
• 2006 110,000
• 2007 80,000
• 2008 50,000
• 2009 20,000
• 2010 0

10
Monitoring reporting and review

• Inter-Departmental Group on fuel Poverty
• N.I. Fuel Poverty Advisory Group
• Research and evaluation

11
Challenges

• Fuel poverty high on agenda
• Responsibility not solely with DSD
• Many contributory factors outside our control
• All homes provided with efficient heating full
  insulation - 17.1 in fuel poverty

12
FUTURE PLANS

• Partnership approach strengthened
• NIFPAG and IDGFP reports
• Launch of Action Plan
• Extend eligibility criteria for Warm Homes
• Further pilot projects
• Emphasis on renewable technology

13
ENDING FUEL POVERTY

• David Crothers
• Director of Housing
• Department for Social Development