NEA NI believes this draft Anti-Poverty Strategy is not fit for purpose, as it fails to outline the necessary steps to meaningfully address poverty in Northern Ireland.

Discover the impact of our work across the UK in 2024-2025.

Fuel poverty ought to be specifically mentioned in Section 7.6viii as an adverse impact of the Department’s constrained Capital allocation for Housing and Affordable Warmth.

This report focuses on the performance of two Wondrwall installations and compares them with a control property with solar PV and infrared heating panels.

Our response to this consultation is based around three key themes summarised in the document

The ‘Evaluating solar PV with electric heating’ project installed 18 solar PV systems and 11 Mixergy smart hot water cylinders in socially rented homes. The Mixergy cylinders all had solar diverters which could use excess solar PV generation to power the immersion heater for free.

The ‘Evaluating solar PV with electric heating’ project installed solar PV systems in properties with air-source heat pumps (ASHP), infrared heating panels and electric storage heaters with and without battery storage.

The ‘Evaluating solar PV with electric heating’ project assessed the benefits of installing solar PV systems in social housing with different types of electric heating. The properties had a mix of air-source heat pumps (ASHP), infrared heating panels and electric storage heaters with and without battery storage.

We wish to stress again, that fuel poor households cannot end up being disproportionate sponsors of hitting the renewable electricity target. It is imperative that there is a fair distribution of the cost of decarbonisation with those on the lowest incomes protected.