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Fuel money for 50,000 more homes Fuel money for 50,000 more homes
(about 13 hours later)
Fifty thousand more households will now be eligible for a £150 fuel poverty payment in April, the Executive has said. One hundred and fifty thousand homes will now automatically receive a £150 fuel payment, the executive has said.
On Thursday it was announced an extra £7.5m has been added to the Household Fuel Payment Scheme, bringing its cost to £22.5m.
Last December it was announced that the scheme was open to people on pension credit and income support.Last December it was announced that the scheme was open to people on pension credit and income support.
But this now been widened to include those on pension credit who own their own homes. Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said it was welcome news to those facing hardship at this time.
However, the scheme does not extend to people on pension credit who live in a nursing home.
"The finance minister announced last year that 100,000 households would be eligible for the payment at a cost of £15m," said BBC NI political correspondent Martina Purdy.
"Now an extra £7m is being spent and an extra 50,000 households will benefit. The first minister rejected suggestion that the Executive had got its sums wrong and said one of the reasons for the change was to expand the scheme."
People on income support who are in receipt of housing benefit or housing loans will also be eligible.People on income support who are in receipt of housing benefit or housing loans will also be eligible.
The payment will be automatically made in the same way that normal benefits are paid - either credited to a bank or Post Office Card Account or paid by cheque.
"The finance minister announced last year that 100,000 households would be eligible for the payment at a cost of £15m," said BBC NI political correspondent Martina Purdy.
"Now an extra £7m is being spent and an extra 50,000 households will benefit. The first minister rejected suggestion that the executive had got its sums wrong and said one of the reasons for the change was to expand the scheme."
The scheme does not extend to people on pension credit who live in a nursing home.