Winter fuel: £100 payment to help pensioners affected by cuts

It is estimated about 249,000 pensioners in Northern Ireland were going to be affected by cuts to winter fuel payments this year.

The Commissioner for Older People for Northern Ireland, Eddie Lynch, said the one-off £100 payment was a “welcome announcement”.

However, he told the BBC’s Evening Extra programme that “it clearly isn’t enough”.

“This is going to people who would have been receiving two or three hundred pounds to help them get through the winter months,” he added.

“So people will still have a shortfall, people will still struggle this winter.”

Mr Lynch said he was “concerned” by reports that the new payments may not be paid out until March.

Paschal McKeown, director of the charity Age NI, said she welcomed the payment and that older people will not need to apply for the support.

However, she added many older people are “facing increased financial pressure” and the charity is “deeply disappointed that the amount allocated may fall short of what older people really need to stay warm during the long winter days and nights”.

Ms McKeown said Age NI will continue to call on the executive to make sure pensioners receive the appropriate financial support.