Executive to provide £100 heating vouchers - but SDLP says ministers must stop blaming London
Stormont is to distribute £100 vouchers to around 300,000 households in Northern Ireland to help with the cost of home heating oil – as the Executive makes yet another plea for more cash from London.
Communities minister Gordon Lyons says the financial support will be provided on the basis of applications from households in receipt of certain benefits or with a working income of less than £30,000.
The scheme was announced after a long Executive meeting on Thursday, after which the first ministers called for further spending here by the Westminster government.
DUP Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said Northern Ireland needs “a comprehensive package of support, and we need it now”. The First Minister demanded a meeting with the Prime Minister about what she called “stark” budgetary issues.
Stormont’s opposition leader Matthew O’Toole welcomed the £100 support for some households relying on home heating oil, but said it was clear more support was needed and the Executive cannot simply shift all the blame to London.
The SDLP MLA said: “It should not be lost on people that it took the Communities Minister bouncing the other Executive parties in the media to get this support agreed today. DUP Ministers continue to out manoeuvre their Sinn Féin counterparts who are presiding over crises in multiple departments with no answers that aren’t ‘blame the Brits’.
Secretary of State Hilary Benn, who had been invited to the Executive meeting but did not attend, separately announced money for energy support funding for businesses. The Executive will be provided with extra cash to set up a local scheme to the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme announced by the Chancellor.
The UK Government says the new funding comes on top of the Executive’s £19.3bn on average funding settlement in each year of the Spending Review, as well as the additional £390 million announced at the Spring Statement.
The new Stormont support for some householders comes amid the highest energy prices in four years. The latest figures from the Consumer Council show a slight dip in home heating oil prices this week, with the average price for 500 litres down slightly to £574.75. Just before the start of the war in Iran, the same amount cost around £307.
Under the Executive’s initiative, eligible households will be able to apply for a £100 prepaid card that can be used at home heating oil suppliers – with ministers releasing an additional £19.2 million in funding.
DUP minister Gordon Lyons, who holds the communities portfolio, said around 300,000 households will benefit.
“The scheme will be application based, and details on how people can apply for the vouchers will be announced ahead of the scheme’s launch, but the current plans are for that to be by way of an online form.
“The scheme will be open to those households who are receiving an income-based benefit, a disability benefit or a state pension.
“In addition, recognising that it’s not just those who are on benefits that are in need, and that there are many hard pressed working households that need support, this will also be available to all of those households whose income is less than £30,000.
“That income threshold aligns with that of my department’s Discretionary Support scheme”, he said.
The deputy First Minister said: “It will make a difference, but it will not solve the problem.” Ms Little-Pengelly said the Executive “will have more to say in the coming weeks in terms of discounts to electricity customers, because obviously our Economy Minister has been working on that for some time”.
She also said the Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins spoke about “freezing transport fares” on Wednesday, adding: “That’s ultimately about giving people choice, because if you can’t put fuel in your car, you may choose to take public transport.”
The UK government also announced more money for the Executive to spend on supporting business. Hilary Benn said: “The Chancellor and Secretary of State for Business and Trade have announced the expansion of the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS) to cut the energy bills in Great Britain.
“I’m pleased to confirm that the UK Government will provide the Northern Ireland Executive with equivalent funding to develop a comparable scheme in Northern Ireland, subject to business case approval.
“This is the latest in a number of steps the UK Government is taking to provide vital and timely support for businesses and households with energy costs.
“Energy policy sits with the Northern Ireland Executive, and the Government will continue to engage with Northern Ireland ministers to ensure we are providing support to those most affected.”