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.

This project by National Energy Action aims to obtain more accurate data on how much it costs to run various household appliances.

We welcome the opportunity to respond to the Department of Finance’s consultation on the overarching draft Budget 2025-26. Our recommendations are driven by the urgent need to end fuel poverty in Northern Ireland, affecting as many as 40% of households according to recent polling.

The Fuel Poverty Coalition (FPC) Northern Ireland is united by our ambition to highlight the need for urgent action to eradicate fuel poverty in Northern Ireland. There is clear need for a strategic, cross-departmental, and cross-sectoral approach to tackle NI’s fuel poverty crisis.

NEA NI remains deeply concerned about the recent policy changes to the Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment Scheme (WFP), as the revised eligibility criteria is too restrictive.

NEA NI has long advocated for an updated Fuel Poverty Strategy, as there is a clear need for a strategic, cross-departmental, and cross-sectoral approach to tackle Northern Ireland’s fuel poverty crisis.

LucidTalk – NEA NI: Northern Ireland (NI) Omnibus Poll Question Results General Report

Over the last number of months, NEA has experienced a significant rise in the number of households seeking emergency support. Unfortunately, we expect this trend to continue as we believe as many as 40% of households might now be struggling due to the spiralling energy costs. Ahead of the upcoming Assembly Election, NEA are calling on politicians to commit to tackling the Energy Crisis head on. Below, we outline our key asks which we believe will assist in easing the pressures on vulnerable households in Northern Ireland, both in the short and longer term.