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The Prime Minister has announced over £50million in support for households as oil prices continue to rise due to the war in Iran. The Executive will receive £17million of that funding.
Finance Minister John O’Dowd has described it as “extremely disappointing.”
Northern Ireland is particularly vulnerable to the increasing costs, as almost two-thirds of households use home heating oil.
On Monday Sir Keir Starmer confirmed Northern Ireland will receive £17million share of a £53million package in support for heating oil costs that have risen due to the war in the Middle East.
Mr O’Dowd claimed the £17million funding would only equate to £35 per household using home heating oil in the region and said payments should target “those on the lowest incomes.”The Prime Minister made the announcement on Monday after Chancellor Rachel Reeves said Treasury officials had “found the money” to help the 1.5 million households relying on the fuel.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill described the support package as a “slap in the face” that “doesn’t scratch the surface” of what is needed in Northern Ireland
She said her priority is “challenging the British Government to ensure that we actually have the right investment package, that we actually can help people to get through this cost-of-living crisis”.She told MLAs: “These are the real-life implications of war.“Our constituents here are having to bear the brunt of these decisions that have been taken elsewhere, so we need to fight together for the people that we represent.”She added: “I encourage us all to work together, to fight for households here, to fight to have proper money so that we can actually help people to get through this crisis, because what’s been thrown out today doesn’t even scratch the surface of what people need.”Ms O’Neill further stated: “None of us know if, even these recent rises, if that’s where it’s going to stop or if it’s going to get worse, so I think this is why we need support for households, that’s why we make the case to the Treasury.“And I have to say, I find the £17 million that has been put on the table today to be a real slap in the face, a real slap in the face to families that are struggling, who are already struggling to pay their oil bills.”Around two-thirds of homes in Northern Ireland use home heating oil compared with the UK average of just more than 5%.Mr O’Dowd said: “It’s extremely disappointing in terms of the quantum of funding that has been made available to the Executive.“There’s around half a million homes here rely on oil-fired central heating and the Executive has been awarded £17.2million from the Prime Minister’s announcement.“That equates to around £35 per household and on that basis I think it’s only right and proper that we target those on the lowest incomes.”Mr O’Dowd outlined that on the outbreak of the war in Ukraine in 2022 “there was a much better financial package brought forward than has been brought forward today, so if the economy is in a better state, then the funding coming forward should match that”.He added: “The funding package, it is below par, significantly below par, there’s a need for proper funding to be brought forward.“It’s left us in a position where we can only now help those on the lowest incomes.“Many, many workers and families out there are struggling, we need a proper package to support everyone moving forward.”
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