East Belfast Ulster Unionist MLA and Communities Spokesperson Andy Allen MBE has welcomed confirmation that £100 home heating oil payments will begin reaching households from September, but said the length of time taken to get to this point shows why a framework needs to be in place so future support can be delivered more quickly.

Andy Allen said:

“This support will be welcomed by the many thousands of oil-dependent households who have been struggling with the cost of heating their homes. While £100 is a modest amount given the scale of the pressures many individuals and families have and continue to face, it will still provide some help, and I want to see it reach people as quickly and as smoothly as possible.

“But let’s be honest about the timescale. The spike in oil prices happened months ago. Families were making impossible choices at the height of that crisis, and only now, with winter approaching, are payments beginning to flow. Support that comes long after the immediate pressure has passed inevitably loses some of its value.

“I fully recognise the complexity involved in putting a scheme like this in place. There is no central register of home heating oil users, eligibility had to be worked through, legislation progressed and safeguards put in place. But many of these same challenges were evident in 2022, and here we are again.

“That is why the framework developed through this scheme needs to be retained and built on. We should make sure the work that has gone into designing the scheme is not lost once these payments are made. The processes, safeguards and lessons learned should leave us better placed to respond quickly if households face a similar shock in future.

“Northern Ireland’s reliance on home heating oil means we are particularly exposed when oil prices rise sharply and we need to be better prepared for that.

“This payment, alongside the electricity support of over £50 expected from October, is welcome. But households are still facing much wider pressures, from food and housing costs to childcare and other everyday bills. “A one-off payment will help, but it does not take those pressures away. That is why it is imperative that the Northern Ireland Executive does all it can to support households and tackle the underlying pressures driving up the cost of living.

“Energy efficiency measures must play a much bigger part in the answer. The Warm Healthy Homes Strategy sets out the direction, but the important thing now is delivery. We need to see more homes properly insulated, heating systems improved and support targeted at those households struggling most with their energy costs. Reducing household energy bills for the long term must be the priority, rather than relying on emergency support every time prices rise.

“The reality is that £100 will go towards helping with the immediate pressure, but it will not go very far. Improving the energy efficiency of someone’s home can reduce their bills for years. We need to be able to respond quickly when prices spike, but the longer-term aim must be to reduce the number of households that need emergency support in the first place.

“Finally, a word of caution. Schemes like this often attract scammers. I would urge people to be wary of calls, texts, emails or social media posts asking for bank details or a payment to ‘release’ their support. If in doubt, check directly with the Department for Communities or the Consumer Council, and please look out for elderly or vulnerable neighbours who may be targeted.”