Rising energy bills: NI schools face £13m power price hike

Schools face higher heating bills but still have to keep windows open due to Covid-19

Schools in Northern Ireland are facing a £13m rise in energy costs over the next year, according to Department of Education (DE) figures.

Northern Ireland's 1,000 schools will receive an extra £5m towards energy bills this year.

But the Russian invasion of Ukraine is likely to send some energy prices soaring further, according to experts.

There have already been a number of recent rises in energy costs, including gas, electricity and oil.

There have been warnings that the rising cost of both fuel and food could leave more people in poverty in Northern Ireland.

Schools have also been hit by the spiralling cost of fuel and electricity, which they have to pay from their own budgets.

An assessment carried out by the Department of Education estimated schools would face increased fuel costs of between £13m across the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years.

It projected that schools, including special schools, were facing a £4.7m rise in energy bills in 2020-21 and a rise of just under £8m in 2022-23.

The Education Authority (EA) and youth centres are also facing increased costs of about £3m.

The assessment - which was done before the Russian invasion of Ukraine - was carried out by Stormont's Education Committee.

It was provided to BBC News NI by the committee following a request for the information.

One principal in west Belfast recently told BBC News NI that his school's gas bill had risen from just under £10,000 in October, November and December 2020, to more than £30,000 in the same months of 2021.

Paddy McCabe, from St Oliver Plunkett Primary School, said rising bills could mean "very, very difficult decisions" for the school.

Schools have also been asked to open windows to ensure adequate ventilation during the winter.

'Very tight budgets'

Schools are to receive an extra £5m towards energy costs in the 2021-22 school year, according to Education Minister Michelle McIlveen.

However, it is not yet clear when schools will receive the extra money or how it will be allocated.

Assembly member Claire Sugden had asked the minister about how rising energy costs had affected schools.

In a written reply to Ms Sugden, the minister said schools faced higher utility bills.

Education Minister Michelle McIlveen

"For this reason, I will be instructing the Education Authority to allocate almost £5m of additional funding to schools to mitigate against the combined impacts of rising energy costs coupled with increased ventilation in schools during the winter months." the minister said.

She said schools would be "notified of their individual allocations in due course."

In a statement, Ms Sugden welcomed the minister's confirmation of additional money.

"Energy costs are going up for all of us, but schools have huge spaces to heat and the mounting costs must not translate into money being diverted from other essential areas," she said.

"Schools are having to improve ventilation to mitigate the spread of Covid and for many this is only achievable by opening windows, which will naturally ramp up heating costs in the colder months.

"I hope this money will be adequate in covering the increased costs for schools and that if more is needed then it will be forthcoming from the executive.

"Schools already operate on very tight budgets and money for educational resources must not be affected by energy price rises."