The Consumer Council for Northern Ireland (CCNI) plays a fundamental role in providing vital information, advice and advocacy for all consumers in Northern Ireland, with a focus on vulnerable consumers. This work has great importance for NEA and many organisations throughout Northern Ireland, both strategically and operationally, and we welcome the opportunity to respond to this Draft Forward Work Plan 2022–2023.

The Budget provides the Executive with an opportunity to improve the lives of people in Northern Ireland by allocating resources to high priority areas in order to improve outcomes for citizens.

NEA NI welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Department for Economy’s Consultation on ‘Heat Networks – Building a market framework’.

Our Budget and CSR submissions recommend ways to support struggling households to keep warm this winter at a time when energy prices are increasing, incomes are reducing, and there are other financial pressures on households like rising inflation. It also recommends longer term actions to end fuel poverty through increased spending on energy efficiency and making the uplift to Universal Credit permanent.

NEA NI welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Committee for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs ‘Call for Evidence and views on the Climate Change Bill’.

NEA NI welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Department for Economy’s consultation on policy options for a new Energy Strategy for Northern Ireland.

This strategy will impact upon every energy commodity in Northern Ireland from power station, to building, to vehicle. However, as a fuel poverty and energy efficiency campaigning charity, NEA NI will be specifically focussing on the key considerations for domestic housing stock and low-income householders.

Urgent action is needed to improve health outcomes and support the most vulnerable people who are at most risk of needless death and morbidity. Public Health England (PHE) recently warned there is a clear overlap between cold homes and Covid-19 and it is more important than ever that the most vulnerable members of society can afford to live in a warm, safe home.

The Consumer Council for Northern Ireland (CCNI) plays a fundamental role in providing vital information, advice and advocacy for all consumers in Northern Ireland, with a focus on vulnerable consumers. This work has great importance for NEA and many organisations throughout Northern Ireland, both strategically and operationally, and we welcome the opportunity to respond to this Draft Corporate Plan 2021–2022.