Government urged to take decisive action to tackle energy poverty

A wide cross-section of social, environmental and voluntary organisations have urged the Government to take decisive action to tackle energy poverty and break our dependence on fossil fuel home-heating before next winter. The joint statement from 29 organisations (including DFI) was issued as politicians, NGOs, and academics gathered in Dublin Castle, today, Monday 12 June for the National Economic Dialogue to discuss Budget 2024.  

The groups described the latest CSO figures, which show the number of people unable to keep their homes adequately warm doubling between 2021 and 2022 and reaching a record high, as an “unprecedented crisis”.

The 29 organisations made 14 specific recommendations for Government to:

• Address inadequate incomes by raising social welfare rates in line with cost-of-living increases.
• Tackle cold homes for low-income renters and homeowners first.
• Introduce new, targeted measures to bring down bills and guarantee everyone’s right to energy.
• Get off fossil fuel heating and ensure a fair energy transition.

Recommendations include expanding eligibility for the Fuel Allowance and increasing core social welfare rates by €25, expanding to SEAI’s free energy upgrade scheme to ensure every renovated home is heat-pump ready and that renters on HAP are included, funding community energy advisors in every local authority, and ensuring the windfall tax is used to support those most at risk of energy poverty. 

DFI's Fleachta Phelan said, "Disabled people have long lived with higher than average energy bills, due to the many extra costs of having a disability. People with disabilities use more electricity on average, and were already more likely to be in utility arrears before this cost of living crisis. 

“The percentage of people unable to work due to long-standing health problems (disability) who were unable to afford to keep their home adequately warm increased by more than 10% over the past two years – from 8.5% in 2020 to 19.6% in 2022. 

“It is deeply worrying to know that people who cannot work because of their disability or health condition are cutting back on necessary heating due to a lack of sufficient income – the health implications of this alone are alarming. The government must act to address disability poverty in Budget 2024.”

ENDS