Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister for Communities to detail any steps he is taking to support insulation upgrades for fuel-poor households in the private rented sector.
Minister for Communities: The Housing Executive administers the Affordable Warmth Scheme on behalf of my Department. The scheme supports lowincome private sector households, including owneroccupiers and private tenants, and is intended to reduce fuel poverty and improve energy efficiency. Private rented homes are eligible where the landlord is registered with the Landlord Registration Scheme. Funding is available for insulation measures such as loft, cavity wall and solid wall insulation, with landlords required to contribute 50% of costs.
My Officials are currently developing the Warm Healthy Homes Fund to replace the current Affordable Warmth Scheme. The new Fund is an energy efficiency scheme to improve warmth, health and energy affordability for low-income households both in the owner occupier and private rented sectors. The Fund will offer a range of energy efficiency measures including cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, draught proofing and ventilation. I will launch a public consultation in the coming weeks to help inform the final scheme design.
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