Northern Ireland's energy framework derives in part from the UK's, as one of its devolved administrations. The other part derives from an all-island Strategic Energy Framework, which it shares with Ireland, effectively another EU Member State. Christine Liddell heads Ulster University's Housing and Human Wellbeing Research Group which works across border boundaries, learning from good practice in both jurisdictions. She will talk about how this slightly semi-detached status helps Northern Ireland practitioners and lobbyists find new and productive partnerships, regardless of where they may be found.

1. Fuel Poverty in Northern Ireland
Update on what’s happening
Christine Liddell

2. A bit of a reframe
Area-based targeting is now our legislated
FP Strategy
Find areas where people are in extreme FP

3. 0-5% 5-10% 10-15% 15-20% 20-25% +25%
Needs to spend on heat and light
10% threshold
PercentageHH’s
How do we
find them?
Northern Ireland 2011
42% in FP but half near the threshold

5. How does the FP Targeting Algorithm perform?
If we picked 2000 addresses out of a hat
• 42% would be in fuel poverty
• 22% would be in severe fuel poverty
With Council support, we picked 2000 using
the targeting algorithm
• 82% were in fuel poverty
• 64% were in severe fuel poverty

6. A bit of a reframe
Our work is about people
not houses

10. What the Assessor
sees and measures

11. Home as safe haven
Home as where you are
in control
Home as “where you can
spend Christmas
morning in your
pyjamas”What people
perceive

12. Excess winter deaths
Improving international methodology
Average monthly number of deaths in the
4 months of winter (Dec/Jan/Feb/Mar)
compared with
Average months number of deaths in the
other 8 months

13. Y
N
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Y
N
Y
N
Y
Europe
Do cold days
only occur in
• December
• January
• February
• March?
N
N
Y
Y
Y
N
Y
Source: Liddell, 2014
Y

14. 18%
10%
12%
21%
16%
8%
12%
14%
12%
28%
13%
14%
Official
excess winter
death index
1980-2013
Europe
19%
21%
18%
12%
12%
12%
13%
Source: Liddell, 2014
12%

15. 18%
+10%
12%
21%
16%
+8%
+12%
14%
+12%
28%
+13%
14%
Official
excess winter
death index
1980-2013
Europe
+19%
+21%
18%
12%
12%
+12%
13%
Source: Liddell, 2014
+12%

16. Official excess winter death index
1980-2013
Europe
Probably worse that previously thought
in Northern Europe

17. Percentage excess winter deaths by
causes of death, 1991/2 to 2012/13, UK regions

18. Respiratory ADRD Circulatory
E S W N E S W N E S W N
%
55 50 43 40 27 29 31 31 18 18 13 14
Percentage excess winter deaths by
causes of death, 1991/2 to 2012/13, UK regions

19. Tackling fuel poverty
improves most people’s
mental health
It can also improve the physical health of
some.
Greatest NPV is you target people in poor
health
New messaging around FP and Health
The emerging consensus

20. Thanks for asking me!