Pilot fuel poverty project 'saves lives and money'

Benefits valued at more than £1.5 million have been delivered by an investment of £300,000 in a pilot project aimed at defeating fuel poverty in Armagh and Dungannon.

The pilot project was set up to help vulnerable people living in the villages of Aughnacloy and Darkley, which are part of the Armagh and Dungannon Heath Action Zone.

Des Browne, the direct-rule minister who has responsibility for health and housing, made the announcement at the Stormont launch of a report on the benefits of the project – which was funded jointly by the Department for Social Development and Northern Ireland Electricity.

Mr Browne welcomed the use of the NIE Customer Levy, which supplied £250,000 to the project. He said: “This has proved to be a powerful and flexible tool in designing and delivering locally responsive measures to fuel poor households.

“The results of this pilot show how we can work effectively with the community to tackle the distressing effects of fuel poverty. By installing better heating and insulation in the homes of older people we both improve the quality of their lives and also reduce the costs of avoidable illnesses on the health service.

“I know, from my work in the Department of Health, that living in a cold home can have far-reaching effects on vulnerable people. We can learn much from this study, particularly about the problems faced by people living in rural areas, as we roll out the Warm Homes scheme throughout Northern Ireland."

Mr Browne said that success of the Aughnacloy and Darkley projects showed that fuel poverty could be beaten and this would bring wider benefits to both vulnerable individuals and to the wider community.

(SP)