South Down MP Margaret Ritchie (SDLP) has advocated the inclusion of Northern Ireland in the Warm House Discount (WHD) Scheme after securing a debate in the House of Commons.
In Northern Ireland there have been approximately 600 excess winter deaths recorded in 2013/14, up by about 20% from the figure on 2012. In the latest figures available in Northern Ireland, approximately one in five of those who died were aged under 75 and one in nine were aged under 65.
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South Down MP Margaret Ritchie[/caption]
42% or 294,000 homes in NI experience fuel poverty with the figure rising to 62% for elderly people. The scheme would help alleviate some of the worst affected.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Ms Ritchie said: “The rate of fuel poverty is higher in Northern Ireland than in any other part of the UK. It is also worth noting that retired people are at home much more of the time and therefore require the heating to be on longer than those still in work. This is not just of simply adjusting the thermostat and putting on a jumper as a previous Energy Secretary suggested… it is often a matter of life and death.
“Cold interior temperatures lead to a range of other medical problems from bronchitis to heart problems, not to mention the extreme psychological toll it can take. All of which puts an enormous pressure on an already strained health service. In Northern Ireland, this problem is exacerbated by people not having access to the WHD Scheme.
“The WHD scheme provides a rebate on household energy bills of £140 to eligible groups such as pensioners and low income households. DWP estimate that approximately 4 out of every 5 eligible households claim this entitlement and yet nobody in Northern Ireland has access to this scheme.
“This scheme was designed specifically, in DECC’s own words, “to reduce fuel poverty in the UK”, with no mention of excluding Northern Ireland and that devolved administrations do not have the capacity to ‘affect certain aspects of fuel poverty’.”
Ms Ritchie explained: “The scheme is financed by levying around £11 per annum on consumers and Age Sector Platform have estimated that Northern Ireland could be covered by the scheme with the addition of just 1 pound per customer per year.
“Surely, given this and the extent of fuel poverty in Northern Ireland, we can start to see the impetus for giving Northern Ireland access to the benefits of the scheme and indeed the rationale for doing so.
“I know that this issue has support from across the parties in Northern Ireland and that Age Sector Platform has submitted a strong response to November’s consultation to advocate for our inclusion in the Scheme.
“I am calling on the Minister to do the right thing and work with the executive at Stormont to protect our older people. If this scheme is put in place pensioners in Northern Ireland will be spared from freezing in their homes next winter.”
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