23k NW homes(43%) are infuel poverty

OVER twenty-three thousand homes in Londonderry and Strabane (43 per cent) are experiencing fuel poverty, according to the Social Development Minister Nelson McCausland.

By The Newsroom

Published 3rd Nov 2012, 16:27 BST

It’s estimated an incredible 10,644 homes (19.9 per cent) are spending nearly a fifth of all their income on fuel and are thus deemed to be in moderate to severe fuel poverty.

A further 12,433 homes in the North West (23.2 per cent) are spending between 10 and 15 per cent of their income on home heating and are deemed to be in marginal fuel poverty.

The remaining 30,518 homes (59.9 per cent) spent up to 10 per cent of their incomes on fuel and were classed as “near fuel poverty.”

The figures were taken from the 2009 House Condition Survey and the Minister said he expected the latest findings from the 2011 House Condition Survey to be available in the coming weeks.

He said the results will include updated fuel poverty statistics from Northern Ireland.