NI fuel poverty grants 'wasted'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/7468611.stm

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An Audit Office report has raised questions over the targeting of home insulation and central heating grants.

It said 30% of the grants in Northern Ireland were going to homes which were already energy efficient and in no danger of fuel poverty.

Eradicating fuel poverty is one of the Department of Social Development's major objectives.

But the Audit Office report also said it could not be achieved by the £22m-a-year Warm Homes scheme alone.

It has resulted in a total of 60,000 homes being made warmer by installing insulation, draft proofing and in some cases central heating.

But the report said significant numbers of fuel poor were excluded from assistance, including the low paid and people eligible for benefits but who did not claim them.

No need

Another major flaw was that many of the grants were being awarded to households which do not really need them.

The Audit Office said in the last financial year 30% went to already energy efficient homes, at little risk of fuel poverty.

The report also raised concerns about the quality of up to half of the central heating installations.

The new Fuel Poverty Task Force will also want to know why the scheme has not addressed the problem of heating older solid-walled homes in rural areas.