The Northern Ireland Executive has agreed an additional £19.2 million funding to go towards helping low-income households with rising fuel costs.
The decision was agreed during a lengthy meeting on Thursday, and will bolster the £17.2 million of support pledged by the UK Government which was announced last month.
But who is eligible for the scheme, and how much support will they receive?
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Here’s more info on the deal and what has been said:
Who will benefit from the scheme?
The scheme will fund £100 fuel vouchers for up to 340,000 low-income households in Northern Ireland.
How will it work?
Eligible households will be able to apply for a £100 prepaid card that can be used at home heating oil suppliers.
Who is eligible?
Announcing details of how the scheme will work, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said it will be open to those receiving “an income-based benefit, a disability benefit or state pension” or households with a combined income of £30,000 or less.
He said the income threshold is based on the national minimum wage, “aligns with that of my department’s discretionary support scheme” and “represents a fair assessment of where the available funding can be directed”.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill, Deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly, Communities Minister Gordon Lyons and Finance Minister John O’Dowd at Thursday’s press conference. PICTURE: ARTHUR ALLISON/PACEMAKER
Only one voucher will be available per household and will be for oil customers “at this time”.
Mr Lyons said roughly two thirds of households, around 500,000 homes, in Northern Ireland rely on heating oil and recent price increases of “nearly 100%” have been “punishing”.
When will eligible households receive the payment?
No timeframe has been agreed for the scheme, with legislation needing to be passed. Eligibility checks will also have to be carried out before households can receive the money.
What has been said?
First Minister Michelle O’Neill said the Northern Ireland Executive wants to meet with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer about “stark” budgetary issues.
She said that the budget for Northern Ireland was “at breaking point” and the “picture that was painted by all ministers today when it comes to delivery of public services is stark”.
“Political choices being made in London are creating a really difficult atmosphere for our Executive to be able to work with,” she said.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill. PICTURE: ARTHUR ALLISON
“We have had invited Hilary Benn, the Secretary of State, along today – he couldn’t make it (due to) diary arrangements, apparently.
“However, we as an Executive have today decided that we want to meet with Keir Starmer.
“We make a direct appeal to the British Prime Minister to meet with us in a cross-party delegation, because the budget realities that we face are so challenging and so dire and so difficult that he needs to listen to the concerns that all of us are expressing on behalf of the people that we collectively serve.”
Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly said: “It will make a difference, but it will not solve the problem. Our message to the Prime Minister is simple, this cannot wait, people cannot wait.
“We need a comprehensive package of support, and we need it now.”