To ask the Minister for Communities to detail any considerations his Department has made to mitigate the disproportionate effects of cuts to the Winter Fuel Payment on households in Northern Ireland, given the higher prevalence of fuel poverty in the region compared to the rest of the UK.

I refer to my statement in the Assembly on 19 November 2024 regarding the one-off emergency fuel payment of £100 to pensioner households no longer eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment this winter.

I am also currently consulting on a draft Fuel Poverty Strategy that will provide a long-term framework for reducing fuel poverty. It will contribute to improving energy efficiency in homes and provide support and protection for those living in or at risk of fuel poverty.