NI families in fuel debt

Solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland could be forced to pursue people who have not paid their heating bills for debt, after new research showed that the province is worse than the rest of the UK for fuel poverty.

According to a poll commissioned by Save the Children, people in Belfast and Northern Ireland are the most likely to be unable to afford to heat their homes.

While almost a fifth of UK families with children risk being pursued by solicitors for non-payment of bills, households in Belfast and Northern Ireland are even more likely to risk the wrath of energy companies for not paying for their fuel.

Sadly, energy providers are most likely to contact solicitors in Belfast and Northern Ireland for non-payment by those who earn less than £15,000 a year, with 44 per cent of these households saying they can not afford heating bills.

Save the Children blames the high fuel prices in the province on the lack of choice among energy suppliers.

Alex Tennant, head of policy and research at the charity, was quoted by the Belfast Telegraph as saying: "Many families in Northern Ireland - even those on decent incomes - find it expensive to heat their homes, due to the high cost of fuel.

"However, what is most shocking is that the poorest families are having to pay even more for their fuel."

According to the 2006 Northern Ireland House Condition Survey, a third of households in Belfast and the rest of the province are in fuel poverty.

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