RESIDENTS in Fermanagh who are unable to heat their homes must be helped and assisted, Fermanagh and Omagh District Council has heard.
Independent Councillor Bernice Swift made the plea at last week’s Council meeting in Enniskillen, telling councillors: “I am not asking for a biomass boiler, I am asking for fairness and equality.”
The Erne West representative said the Affordable Warmth Scheme “needs to be strengthened and widened to help the people who are already so severely impinged.”
Her comments came as Chief Executive Brendan Hegarty informed the Council of the Department for Communities’ latest position in relation to the scheme.
In a letter to the Council, Minister Paul Givan explained that to qualify for the Affordable Warmth Scheme, a householder must have a gross annual income of less than £20,000 which includes all benefits. This income threshold was set following a public consultation before the scheme was introduced in 2014. 
“The initial proposal on income was that the threshold for the scheme would be the same as free school means limit, which was £16,190 at that time. However, following this consultation it was raised to £20,000 to take account of concerns raised during consultation about the inclusion of disability benefits in the calculation.”
He explained that a review was carried out which included an examination of the scheme qualifying criteria. 
“Throughout this review officials engaged with key stakeholder organisations and political representatives, which resulted in a number of proposals for changers to the scheme including the removal of Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Allowance and Attendance allowance from the calculation of household income. 
“To date no consideration has been given to removing Carer’s Allowance from the calculation but it would seem that a similar argument may exist for disregarding Carer’s Allowance from the calculation. I have asked my officials to test this during public consultation on other proposed changes to the Affordable Warmth Scheme,” said Minister Givan. 
Addressing councillors, Mr. Hegarty reiterated: “No consideration is being given to removing Carer’s allowance from the calculation.”
“I find this wholly insulting,” remarked Councillor Swift. “Especially given the recent talking about warming scandals. The people that are so adversely affected need to be helped and needed to be assisted, OK? This particular minister has insulted on so many levels,” she said.