Carla Lockhart said:
“With the cost of heating a home by gas increasing by up to 40%, many low income households or those occupied by the elderly will be deeply concerned about how they will afford to fuel their homes this winter.
Our rates of fuel poverty are the highest in the United Kingdom. Likewise we have totally unacceptable rates of food poverty. Yet now we face a situation where families will be forced to choose between heating and eating.
We need the Communities Minister to look for ways to help people face this financial pain. A top up of the Winter Fuel Payment would be one such option, but there are others. Yet so far we have silence, and no sense of urgency from the Minister. We need the Minister to focus on the needs of everyone in Northern Ireland at this difficult time, not just focus on her own pet projects.”