OVER the past year, there has been a significant rise in gas, oil and electricity prices which are subsequently having an impact on Fermanagh residents, with Community Advice Fermanagh (CAF) reporting an increase in cases of fuel poverty.

The term relates to households that must spend a high proportion of their household income to keep their home at a reasonable temperature.

Siobhan Peoples, Manager at CAF, a charity thaht helps people to resolve their legal, financial and other problems by providing free, independent and confidential advice, and by influencing policymakers, spoke to The Impartial Reporter about this issue.

She said: "We are now heading towards winter and we can already see there has been a big increase in the number of fuel-poor households in Co. Fermanagh."

Noting how the rise in gas, oil and electricity prices is a clear contributing factor to fuel poverty in this area, Siobhan went on to reference a presentation from the Single Electricity Market Committee in July, that highlighted high wholesale prices across all energy sources.

"According to the Committee, prices are as high as 2008 levels, and they are concerned this will translate into further increases in retail prices.

"Already throughout 2021, all oil, gas and electricity suppliers in Northern Ireland have announced higher gas and electricity prices," said Siobhan, going on to outline the percentage price hike by certain fuel providers.

"In the first half of 2021, SSE Airtricity increased gas prices by 9.8 per cent, and electricity prices by 3.9 per cent.

"They introduced a second electricity price hike of 9.7 per cent in the second half of the year.

"Firmus Energy increased their gas prices by 17.5 per cent. Electric Ireland announced two price increases – a first one of 3.7 per cent, and a second of 10.2 per cent.

"Budget Energy prices went up by 14.9 per cent. Power NI prices rose by 6.9 per cent.

"Bright Energy increased its electricity prices, with bill-paying customers expecting to pay an extra £41 a year and keypad customers to pay an extra £26 per year."

Alongside rising fuel prices, Siobhan highlighted other contributing factors to fuel poverty, including the recent ending of certain financial supports.

"In September, the Job Retention Scheme closed and with that safety net gone, this has the potential to lead to business closures and job losses," she said.

"On October 6, the £20 Universal Credit benefits uplift ended, so for those already on benefits and for those recently unemployed who will be new benefit recipients, they have less income.

"The Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Child Poverty Action Group have warned that this cut has the potential to drive a third of working-age families with children into deeper poverty and higher debt levels."

At CAF, Siobhan and her team witnessed unprecedented levels of demand for financial help with fuel costs in winter, 2020, when the Warm, Well, Connected (WWC) programme was rolled out between December 1 last and March 31, 2021.

She said: "We could see from this programme the level of fuel distress and poverty people found themselves in, and things are actually tougher for individuals and families this winter.

"We are awaiting information on whether or not there will be a similar programme this winter – but we are already [at] the beginning of winter, and there has been no information regarding this."

Siobhan went on to say that there is "no doubt" that people are "reaching crisis point in terms of the fuel price hikes seen so far, with undoubtedly more to come".

She continued: "Coupled with rising inflation and the ending of Covid support measures, we are facing into a winter cost of living crisis.

"It will be extreme and sustained, and whilst it will affect all of us, it will hit low-income households hardest.

"We urgently need to see a package of measures which will assist those most in need," she said.

"People are going cold and hungry. The NI Executive and the big energy companies need to do more to help people in need," she told this newspaper.

If you are impacted by the issues raised in this article, contact CAF at 0739 4921 753, from 9.30am to 1pm, or from 2-3.30pm, from Monday to Friday, for free, independent and confidential advice.