Ulster Unionist peer Lord Rogan has welcomed a Government commitment to consider releasing more money to help people in Northern Ireland pay for higher fuel costs.
Speaking in a House of Lords debate on the Energy Prices Bill yesterday, Lord Rogan said that Northern Ireland found itself in a “peculiar” position in comparison with the rest of the United Kingdom with 68% of Northern Ireland households relying on home heating oil compared to just 3% of households in England.
He argued that the £100 one-off payment to support home heating oil customers in Northern Ireland was not enough with the price of 900 litres having risen by £50 in the past week, a situation he described as “simply untenable.”
Lord Rogan
The UUP peer said he was also concerned that Government support to households and businesses was only being offered for six months.
He told Energy Minister Lord Callanan: “I am well aware that there will be a review with new arrangements due to be in place by April. However, I fear these will be even less generous than those intended to carry the country through the winter. And as I have sought to make clear, in relation to Northern Ireland, they are not generous at all. This is causing great concern and worry for many.”
Referring to what he described as “the £100 alternative fuel payment,” Lord Callanan said: “This is designed by reference to past increases in the cost of heating oil in the year to October 2022. We will be monitoring the price of heating oil and other alternative fuels closely in the months ahead to see whether further payments are required at a future point in time.”
The Energy Minister told Lord Rogan: “In the absence of an Executive, the UK Government are taking steps to ensure that households and businesses across the whole of the UK are able to access support to manage their energy bills. In doing so we are ensuring that households and non-domestic consumers in Northern Ireland receive an equivalent level of support to those in Great Britain. I am sure that will reassure you.”