The COVID-19 outbreak has already had a significant impact on household finances, especially those that already struggle with the costs of essential services. But there is a bigger gathering storm. Existing debt issues within the water and energy sectors are being badly exacerbated by the current crisis, and whilst welcome, current provision is not adequate to deal with the scale of these challenges.

NEA appreciates that many energy suppliers and their staff will be working tirelessly to provide appropriate support and services for customers in vulnerable circumstances during the COVID-19 outbreak. NEA has also been capturing its own staff’s feedback on the early impacts COVID-19 is having on vulnerable customers’ access to support. The findings provide a snapshot of some emerging trends.

This newsletter is sponsored by the Public Health Agency through our Northern Exposure project. It will provide you with current programmes of work aimed at providing advice or support to householders as well as up to date fuel poverty policy information.

This year’s UK Fuel Poverty Monitor (UKFPM) reviews the events that have resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic, and how they have impacted vulnerable energy consumers and the organisations that look to support them, cataloguing the response to this challenge from these organisations. It concludes with an investigation of the policies, strategies and other key actions that are urgently needed to address the impact of the pandemic this winter and beyond.

NEA NI works closely with the Utility Regulator across many aspects of work, but especially in relation to consumers and policy development, also with the view to empowering consumers and communities. We have made some comments around the objectives in the draft Forward Work Programme and have made some suggestions, which we hope are helpful on priority projects, which we believe may enhance the Forward Work Programme 2020–21.

Based on the 2016 House Condition Survey (HCS), Northern Ireland has a rate of fuel poverty at 22%. It is also estimated that there are approximately 43,800 households in extreme fuel poverty which means they need to spend over 15% of their total income to heat their homes. Additionally, one in five households in Northern Ireland are living in relative poverty and 19% of working age adults in the private rented sector spend more than a third of their income on housing.

NEA Northern Ireland has made some comments around the objectives in the draft Forward Work Programme and believe that the projects identified in the document are the right ones and have no queries regarding same. We have made some suggestions, which we hope are helpful on priority projects, which we feel may enhance the Forward Work Programme 2020–21.

Duis non tincidunt dui, vel lacinia risus. Sed sed sagittis ipsum. Donec id dolor semper, feugiat nunc sollicitudin, vehicula odio. Quisque imperdiet varius accumsan. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora torquent per conubia nostra, per inceptos himenaeos. Quisque eros urna, eleifend nec euismod vitae, efficitur vel nibh. Maecenas lobortis magna in egestas pulvinar. Cras eu velit urna. Aenean pretium ex justo, sit amet rhoncus leo viverra quis. Sed feugiat lacinia sapien eget condimentum. Donec sodales pulvinar nisi, at lacinia nisl. Integer egestas at magna non tristique

Donec faucibus ut diam ac vehicula. In eu felis turpis. Fusce venenatis, ex sed porttitor pellentesque, ipsum metus interdum nisl, ac fermentum orci purus ac ex. Nunc lobortis nec est et vestibulum. Aliquam erat volutpat. Vivamus lobortis nulla ex, a scelerisque lectus consequat eget. Suspendisse fermentum eu justo ac auctor. Etiam lectus ipsum, pulvinar vel auctor sit amet, cursus eu ex. Proin maximus semper arcu, ut ornare magna dictum at.