Treasury: 'Challenging to justify support for heating oil customers'

MHK says Island is 'dangerously close to a Dickens' novel'

Treasury will review the amount of money given out in taxpayer backed benefits, and the eligibility criteria for them, ahead of next year’s Budget.

Minister Michael Crowe committed to the idea in the House of Keys this week after calls for ‘real assistance’ for struggling households this winter.

Ayre and Michael MHK Stephen Broad wanted to know what his department was doing to mitigate the impact on households of rising heating fuel costs:

Mr Crowe said Treasury needed to consider its policy around ‘energy shocks’ but said it would be ‘challenging to justify support’ for heating oil customers affected by high price increases:

Instead Minister Crowe suggested people should look at the upcoming Heat Wise Home Scheme which he said would begin in the next couple of months.

This will see £16 million of taxpayers’ money spent helping households switch to ‘cleaner heating’.

Lower-income households, in both the public and private sector, would receive up to £16,000 towards an air source heat pump and up to £7,000 for additional insulation measures.

Middle-income households would receive an £8,000 grant, and £8,000 interest free credit, towards a heat pump and 50 percent of costs, up to £7,000, for other measures.

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But Ramsey MHK Juan McGuinness has questioned whether that is realistic: