This newsletter is sponsored by the Public Health Agency through our Northern Exposure project. It will provide you with current programmes of work aimed at providing advice or support to householders as well as up to date fuel poverty policy information.

While we understand that, at present, the key focus for the Department is to ensure that the Single Electricity Market (SEM) is maintained and fully operational after the implementation period. We also note that issues such as retail, consumer vulnerability and fuel poverty issues are an integral part of the Electricity Directive and Clean Energy Package as a whole and the translation of these issues have been paused and are to be considered under the new energy strategy.

Improved insulation and heating standards are seen as the most rational and sustainable means of mitigating heating price increases and ensuring affordable warmth. While we must decarbonise our energy system, we must also ensure that the needs of those on lower incomes and experiencing fuel poverty should be protected. We commend both Councils for designing and developing this strategy and have also made some comments to the questions posed in the consultation.

In the first few months of 2020, the world watched a global pandemic unfold. Countries around the world were imposing strict nationwide lock-downs, with economies basically shutting down to control the spread of the virus. The turning point for the UK came on 23rd March when Prime Minister Boris Johnson addressed the nation.

This newsletter is sponsored by the Public Health Agency through our Northern Exposure project. It will provide you with current programmes of work aimed at providing advice or support to householders as well as up to date fuel poverty policy information.

NEA NI works closely with the Utility Regulator across many aspects of work, but especially in relation to consumers and policy development, also with the view to empowering consumers and communities. We have made some comments around the objectives in the draft Forward Work Programme and have made some suggestions, which we hope are helpful on priority projects, which we believe may enhance the Forward Work Programme 2020–21.

NEA Northern Ireland has made some comments around the objectives in the draft Forward Work Programme and believe that the projects identified in the document are the right ones and have no queries regarding same. We have made some suggestions, which we hope are helpful on priority projects, which we feel may enhance the Forward Work Programme 2020–21.

NEA believes the most pressing issue to address is a lack of adequate resource to meet the statutory energy efficiency fuel poverty requirements in England.

NEA has supported the Regulator’s work to protect more low income and vulnerable customers from unexpected price rises. The efficiency and cost effectiveness of gas distribution networks play a key role in tackling fuel poverty levels and we need to redouble our efforts to move as many households as possible who are reliant on home heating oil to cleaner, greener natural gas. This also provides low income households with a more flexible and affordable monthly or pay as you go option.