Ritchie welcomes NIE help for vulnerable

Social Development Minister Margaret Ritchie MLA today offered her support to a new Energy Efficiency Scheme being launched by Northern Ireland Electricity.

The scheme offers 1,500 energy efficiency grants to provide free insulation and heating control measures to those on low incomes.

The Minister said: “Fuel poverty is a real scourge on our society. I have made a commitment to work towards the eradication of fuel poverty in all households by 2016. It is only through supporting people and working in partnership with a range of organisations that we can begin to address the problem.

“We are particularly keen to reach those on low incomes, and the grants offered by NIE will directly target this vulnerable group. It therefore gives me great pleasure to offer my support to the scheme.”

There are 1,500 free energy saving packages available from NIE’s Energy Efficiency Programme for people on lower incomes to put in not only insulation but also heating controls such as thermostatic radiator valves, room thermostats and hot water heating separate controls. These NIE grants are 100% funded, totally free of charge. Applicants just have to own their own house and be on a low income (£12,000 pa as a single person or £18,000 pa as a couple).

Jenny Boyd, NIE Energy Services Manager, welcomed the Minister’s support. She said: “Not only will NIE pay for you to have the insulation and heating controls installed, at no cost to you, but the energy saving measures will go on saving you money off heating bills for years.

“Around a third of all the heat lost in an un-insulated home is lost through the walls. The insulation acts as a blanket, trapping the heat from the house below. If you have cavity walls, insulating them will make a great difference. You can save between £130 and £160 per year off your heating bills by putting in cavity wall insulation. By covering the cost, NIE is hoping as many low income householders as possible will apply for the scheme and keep warm this winter.”

To apply for an energy saving deal from NIE, call the Energy Saving Trust Advice Centre on freephone 0800 512 012 quoting “Individual Measures Scheme”. For a full list of NIE’s energy saving grants visit the NIE website . Grants will be allocated on a first come first served basis to eligible householders so apply today.

Notes to Editors:

1. Fuel poverty is the situation in which a household would have to spend more than 10% of its income on fuel to maintain an acceptable level of temperature throughout the home.
2. Fuel poverty is caused by a combination of factors including the need for heat, low household income, high fuel costs or the use of expensive fuel types and poor energy efficiency.
3. In Northern Ireland 33% of all households are fuel poor.
4. The Northern Ireland Fuel Poverty Strategy - Ending fuel Poverty: A Strategy for Northern Ireland - sets out the Governments targets for eradicating fuel poverty in Northern Ireland. The Strategy recommended the establishment of an Inter Departmental Group of senior officials to take forward the implementation of the strategy.
5. Copies of Ending fuel Poverty: A Strategy for Northern Ireland and Tackling Fuel Poverty: The Inter Departmental Group Report are available from DSD Housing Division, tel: 028 9081 9511 or website www.dsdni.gov.uk
6. Media enquiries to DSD Information Office on 028 9082 9468. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 076 9971 5440 and your call will be returned.