Cost of living: Applications for council's emergency fuel payments delayed
- Published
The council set aside £258,000 for the Discretionary Emergency Fuel Support Programme
Applications for a fuel payment scheme set up by Derry City and Strabane District Council for people living in fuel poverty has been delayed.
The council set aside £258,000 to administer the Discretionary Emergency Fuel Support Programme.
Applications were due to open on Monday but this did not happen.
The council said the "short delay" followed "the unsuccessful appointment of a fuel payment partner" but did not give a new date.
People eligible for the scheme would receive payments of up to £100 paid directly to their energy supplier.
A statement said: "The council confirmed that another process has been instigated and while this will result in a short delay, it is hoped the matters will be resolved quickly and council will be in a position to provide a further update soon."
Referral system
The scheme, designed for emergency situations when a household is unable to pay fuel bills or buy a top-up, will operate by a referral system which can be made by any local support organisation, a local school, church or charity.
Individuals can also make a self-referral and these application forms will be available on the council website when the scheme goes live.
The eligibility criteria includes the following:
A member of the household is entitled to Free School Meals
The household is in debt with an energy provider
There is a vulnerable person in the household
A member of the household has recently become unemployed
A member of the household is on a zero-hour contract
The gross annual income of the household is less than £40,000
In September, the council said the programme would be delivered from the end of October once a fuel payment partner was appointed.