Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has unveiled a long-term, cross-government plan to combat fuel poverty across Northern Ireland. The launch of 'Warm Healthy Homes: A Northern Ireland Fuel Poverty Strategy 2026-2036' took place today during a visit to a home in Hopewell Crescent, Belfast.

Speaking at the event, Minister Lyons said: "I am pleased to launch the Warm Healthy Homes strategy, a new approach that has secured Executive backing and which will help lift families out of fuel poverty.

"This is a comprehensive 10-year strategy to ensure that cold, damp homes become a thing of the past. Fuel poverty affects nearly one in four households, and its consequences are linked to poor health and financial stress, particularly for the less well off. This strategy sets out a clear pathway to change that."

The Minister explained that the strategy forms part of a broader government effort, alongside the draft Anti-Poverty Strategy and the Housing Supply Strategy, to tackle the root causes of fuel poverty.

"As part of the strategy, I will introduce a new Warm Healthy Homes Fund next year, for which I intend to allocate £150million to deliver energy efficiency investment in its first five years. This fund will transform low-income households, modernising energy inefficient homes. Through this fund, along with energy wellbeing advice from trusted partners in the community, I want to ensure those worst affected have the information and means to upgrade their homes for the better. I also want to improve housing standards and my Department has already begun consulting on a revised Decent Homes Standard for social housing."

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Homeowner Trevor Rainey, who recently received a Low Carbon retrofit upgrade from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, praised the improvements: "Since the work was done my bills are a lot lower, the house is warmer and the hot water is great in the mornings. I'd recommend it to anyone."

The launch was attended by a range of stakeholders who welcomed the initiative. Christine Irvine, Senior Policy Manager at Marie Curie NI, said:

"We know that being in the last year of life is a significant risk factor for people falling into fuel poverty. Marie Curie research has shown that almost 1 in 3 people in the last year of life (27%) are estimated to be in fuel poverty in Northern Ireland, with rates of pensioner fuel poverty higher here than in any other part of the UK. Therefore, we’re very pleased to see that the Warm Healthy Homes Strategy specifically references people at end of life, and we look forward to seeing a follow-up action plan which outlines the practical steps that will be taken to better identify those at risk and to ensure that support is offered to people who need it."

Other supporters included Raymond Gormley of the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland, Nigel Brady of Bryson Pathways, Pat Austin of National Energy Action NI, John French of the Utility Regulator, and John McMullan of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, all highlighting the strategy's potential to deliver long-term, meaningful improvements to energy efficiency, health, and wellbeing across the region.