Fuel Poverty Coalition

The HANDIHEAT project was represented at a consultation event yesterday, organised by the Fuel Poverty Coalition and held in the Skainos Centre Belfast.  The purpose of the event was to elicit views from a range of agencies and representative organisations in order to make a response to the Call for Evidence on the forthcoming Energy Strategy for Northern Ireland.  The Department for the Economy has been consulting widely on this over the past few months and this Call closes at 5.00 pm on March 20th  2020.

It was a well-attended event and accord was reached on many of the pertinent issues.  The responses will be collated into a cohesive report to be submitted prior to the deadline.  Clearly the issue of Fuel Poverty is central to the HANDIHEAT project and we are keen to influence policy in a positive way recognising that opportunities to do so must be acted upon.  Fuel poverty is an issue that cuts across a range of government departments.  This means that in order to effect positive change we will require authorities to work together and reimagine some areas of their responsibilities  There was an impressive range of individuals within the room representing community, statutory and voluntary sectors.  It bodes well for the future that there were high levels of agreement about how the issues need to be seen.  We must hope that the Department hears, heeds, harnesses and achieves the outcomes required for those in most need to their assistance and support.

Responses can be sent to energystrategy@economy-ni-gov.uk quoting the reference Energy Strategy Call for Evidence 2019.