Response by National Energy Action Northern Ireland to the Northern Ireland Executive Draft Programme for Government Framework 2016-21

July 2016

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About NEA NEA is the national charity working to ensure affordable warmth for disadvantaged energy consumers. NEA’s strategic aims include influencing and increasing strategic action against fuel poverty; developing and progressing solutions to improve access to energy efficiency products, advice and fuel poverty related services in UK households and enhancing knowledge and understanding of energy efficiency and fuel poverty. NEA seeks to meet these aims through a wide range of activities including policy analysis and development to inform our campaigning work, rational and constructive dialogue with decision-makers including regulatory and consumer protection bodies, relevant Government Departments, the energy industry, local and national government and develops practical initiatives to test and demonstrate the type of energy efficiency programmes required to deliver affordable warmth. Our educational and training initiatives have recently won the National Ashden Award which recognised the importance of improved knowledge and understanding of domestic energy efficiency among consumers and communities and their work to ‘up skill’ the workforce across the energy industry.

Fuel Poverty in Northern Ireland The latest Northern Ireland House Condition Survey, while carried out in 2011, indicated that 42% of all households in Northern Ireland were in fuel poverty. This by far outstrips the rest of the UK and the size and scale of the problem here makes it one of the biggest issues facing our society today. The adverse health consequences of cold homes are well recognised and documented. Professor Sir Michael Marmot, Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, was commissioned by Friends of the Earth to undertake The Health Impacts of Cold Homes and Fuel Poverty review in 2011. Amongst a raft of recommendations he reaffirmed that Cold housing and fuel poverty not only have direct and immediate impacts on health, but also indirect impacts and a wider effect on well-being and life opportunities, as well as on climate change. The evidence reviewed in this paper shows the dramatic impact that cold housing has on the population in terms of cardio-vascular and respiratory morbidity and on the elderly in terms of winter mortality. It also highlights the stark effect that fuel poverty has on mental health across many different groups,

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while also having an impact on children and young people’s well-being and opportunities. Addressing energy inefficient housing and bringing all homes up to a minimum standard of thermal efficiency would have the strongest positive impact on the poorest households, even though households from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds are likely to be residents of such properties. This position was also reinforced by a policy briefing, commissioned by Save the Children, written by Professor Christine Liddell, Ulster University (2008) which amongst other things stated that: ·

For infants, living in fuel poor homes is associated with a 30% greater risk of admission to hospital or primary care facilities when other contributory factors have been accounted for.

·

For children, living in fuel poor homes is associated with a significantly greater risk of health problems, especially respiratory problems. Poorer weight gain and lower levels of adequate nutritional intake have also been found – a “heat-or-eat” effect.

·

Adolescents living in fuel poor homes are at significantly greater risk for multiple mental health problems when other contributory factors have been accounted for.

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Cost-benefit analyses of the return on investment that could accrue from preventing Fuel Poverty amongst children and young people suggest that, for every £ spent on reducing Fuel Poverty, a return in NHS savings of 12 pence can be expected from children’s health gains. When adults in the family are also included, this increases to 42 pence.

·

Fuel Poverty is unlike most other forms of Child Poverty and should be accorded special status in policymaking and legislation concerning the young.

The cold kills and in Northern Ireland last year (August 2014-July 2015), there were 870 excess winter deaths in Northern Ireland, the highest since 2009/10. The total number of deaths registered increased by 8%, winter deaths by 11% and non-winter deaths by 7%. On average, 218 more deaths occurred each month between December 2014 and March 2015 than occurred in each of the remaining months of the year in question. All this resounding evidence highlights the damage that fuel poverty causes to physical and psychological health and welfare.

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Additionally, and unique to Northern Ireland, 68% of all households are reliant on home heating oil, a non regulated fuel and despite the recent welcome falls in the price of oil, families are still struggling to fill the oil tank. It is therefore imperative that we do all we can through improvements in energy efficiency to mitigate upward pressures on domestic energy bills. Improved insulation and heating standards are seen as the most rational and sustainable means of ensuring affordable warmth.

Our Response We commend the Northern Ireland Executive for agreeing to bring forward this outcome based draft Programme for Government (PfG). Delivering outcomes in health and housing should be an integral part of the PfG. The position outlined above highlights the problem and the invidious nature of fuel poverty and the importance that fuel poverty has on overall health and wellbeing. It is unique and distinct and needs a specific measure within the framework to drive action. Professor John Hills, who was commissioned by DECC in 2008 to carry out a Fuel Poverty Review which included whether ‘fuel poverty’ is, in fact, a distinct problem, or simply a manifestation of more general problems of poverty. The review found that ‘fuel poverty is not only a distinct, but also a serious national problem’. We believe that this framework provides a model to address this distinct issue as it should provide an opportunity for the Executive to work meaningfully with local government, the private sector and the voluntary and community sectors, to tackle one of Northern Ireland biggest problems.

In our response we strongly assert that a specific outcome relating to fuel poverty, and energy in its broadest sense, should be established with appropriate measurements to guide the overall actions required.

We therefore call for an additional strategic outcome to ensure: ‘That our energy policy delivers a Secure, Affordable and Sustainable energy system for all households in Northern Ireland’

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Some indicators of success for this additional strategic outcome are included in the 42 existing indicators, as listed in the table below. As well as these indicators we call for additional indicators which include: ·

Reduction in fuel poverty

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Reduction in excess winter deaths

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Reduction in hospital admissions

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Warmer homes

·

Improved energy efficiency

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Reduced energy bills

·

Reduced carbon footprint

Programme for Government Outcomes Framework Existing indicators to support that Energy Policy delivers a Secure, Affordable and Sustainable energy system for all households in Northern Ireland 2.

Reduce health inequality

3.

Increase healthy life expectancy

4.

Reduce preventable deaths

6.

Improve mental health

7.

Improve health in pregnancy

8.

Improve the supply of suitable housing

11. Improve educational outcomes

12. Reduce educational inequality

15. Improve child development

16. Increase the proportion of people in work

18. Increase the proportion of people working in good jobs

19. Reduce poverty

29. Increase environmental sustainability

37. Improve air quality

42. Increase quality of life for people with disabilities

Measures used to assess the indicators could include the Fuel Poverty Statistics in the House Condition Survey (NIHE), Excess Winter Deaths (NISRA), the Department for Communities progress on their Affordable Warmth Programme and the Department for the Economy’s progress on their energy efficiency programmes.

A benchmarking exercise

should take place to measure the impact of energy policy on household bills. We also call for an expansion of Outcome 13 which is that “We connect people and opportunities through our infrastructure”. We believe that, like the Scottish Government, energy efficiency should be designated a national infrastructure priority to improve the energy efficiency ratings of homes and to tackle fuel poverty.

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We therefore reiterate the Fuel Poverty Coalition’s Manifesto for Warmth call, which is to: ‘Make energy efficiency an infrastructure priority to resource a well targeted energy efficiency programme, based on a Whole House Solution, to firstly significantly reduce, and then eliminate fuel poverty in Northern Ireland.’ Indicators of success for our call to expand strategic Outcome 13 are included within the 42 existing indicators, as listed in the table below.

Programme for Government Outcomes Framework Existing indicators that support making Energy Efficiency an Infrastructure Priority 8.

Improve the supply of suitable housing

14. Improve the skills profile of the population

16. Increase the proportion of people in work

17. Reduce economic inactivity

18. Increase the proportion of people working in good jobs

19. Reduce poverty

20. Increase the size of the economy 22. Increase innovation in our economy 29. Increase environmental sustainability 33. Reduce underemployment

21. Increased the competitiveness of the economy 28. Increase the confidence and capability of people and communities 32. Increase economic opportunities for our most deprived communities 34. Improve regional balance of economic prosperity through increased employment

NEA’s mission is to ensure that everyone in the UK can afford to meet their energy needs in the home, sufficient for good health, comfort and wellbeing.

The final Programme for

Government will be instrumental in enabling us to meet this end. As such we look forward to playing a major role in the development of the action plans promised within the framework to maximise what we can achieve collectively.

Response submitted on behalf of NEA NI by: Ms Pat Austin Director National Energy Action NI 66 Upper Church Lane Belfast BT1 4QL

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