Energy bills: Families struggle to access £2m crisis fuel fund

People are struggling to access an emergency fund to tackle fuel costs

Vulnerable people are struggling to access a new £2m emergency winter fuel payment.

The scheme opened last week and the website was quickly overwhelmed with applications.

Ulster Unionist MLA Andy Allen said his office had been inundated with calls from people unable to apply.

The charity overseeing the scheme said it was dealing with "unprecedented demand" from the public.

The Emergency Fuel Payment Scheme provides a one-off support of up to £100 worth of electricity, gas, or oil to 20,000 households across Northern Ireland that are experiencing a crisis.

The Bryson Charitable Group, which is working with Stormont's Department for Communities, said prior to the scheme's launch it had been agreed that a total of 333 eligible applications would be processed daily.

In a statement to the BBC, the charity said: "To provide a continuity of support across the winter period to the target number of households, it is agreed that we process 333 eligible applications per day. The scheme is active daily Monday-Friday and is operating effectively at its agreed daily rate".

The charity said the demand from the public "has led to us reaching our daily agreed limit very quickly each day".

It added: "Unfortunately, it is inevitable that demand will be considerably more than the scope of the scheme".

Mr Allen has called on the Department for Communities minister to increase the amount of money on offer to those struggling with fuel payments.

"Our phones have not stopped and the scheme would appear to be oversubscribed," he said.

"The site opens at 9am but one lady said she tried to apply at 9.10 GMT and it was not available. Another person tried at 9.17 GMT but could not apply."

He said the scheme is being operated in conjunction with Bryson Charitable Group but he had difficulty getting a response from them.

Mr Allen is calling on Department for Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey to make more money available

"We don't know how many applications are being admitted in one day," Mr Allen said.

"But it seems that the £2m fund to reach 20,000 households is nowhere near enough.

"It just doesn't cut it. I'm hopeful that support will come forward but it needs to be tangible support."

He has called for an intervention from minister Deirdre Hargey to increase the £2m budget.

"There needs to be more discretion about how the funds are administered and there needs to be more wrap-around support," he said.

In December, the Department for Communities announced that £2m would be available for extra emergency payments to help those most affected by rising fuel costs.

'Multiple flaws'

On Monday, SDLP assembly member Mark H Durkan described the application process as not being fit for purpose.

"I've been inundated with complaints from constituents who have been left frustrated by this unfair process," he said.

"The barriers placed on those in need of help is inexcusable and Minister Hargey, rather than passing blame on this issue, really needs to get a handle on the multiple flaws within this system.

"It is abhorrent that a provision intended to support families and individuals struggling to meet rising energy costs is being treated like a lottery.

Mr Durkan added that people who were in "desperate need are being stripped of their dignity".

Last week, Pat Austin, from the Fuel Poverty Coalition, told the BBC that amount in the face of this crisis was "really nothing".

She called it a "disappointing" amount of money and called for it to be at least doubled and for a taskforce to be set up.

Full eligibility criteria, along with the application process, has been published by the Bryson Charitable Group.

The scheme runs until 31 March and there is a limit on the number of people who can apply each day.