Aontú representative in Slieve Gullion, Liam Reichenberg, has raised the concerns of residents of independent living accommodation in Crossmaglen, Keady, and elsewhere who have been left upset and angered after being told they do not qualify for the £100 Home Heating Oil Support Scheme voucher because they live in so-called ‘sheltered housing’.
Residents of Radius accommodation in Corliss Fold, Crossmaglen and Lir Fold, Keady, contacted Mr Reichenberg last week after notices went up informing residents that they were not entitled to the vouchers under the criteria set by Minister Gordon Lyons and the Department for Communities. Mr Reichenberg is now challenging the minister and department to review the criteria as a matter of urgency.
At its launch in early September Minister Gorgon Lyons said, “The digital pre-paid card will go some way to meeting the challenge of rising fuel costs and will benefit those who need it most as we head into the colder months.”
Liam Reichenberg says, “Many of the residents in Corliss and Lir Folds are some of the very people this scheme was devised to help. They qualify in every way financially and really need this help, but they are being left out and rejected because of where they live.”
“They live in self-contained apartments in ‘Independent living accommodation’ and have to fend for themselves. They pay the full cost of heating the apartment building including common areas, divided between them, unsubsidised and in full. That the buildings have a single oil tank seems to disqualify them too, yet how else would such buildings operate?” asks Mr Reichenberg.
“I have seen the separate charges residents have to pay and heating is no cheaper for them than it is for the rest of us. A £100 voucher might not seem like much to some, but for someone trying to make a limited income or a pension stretch to cover their bills, it can make a real difference. With winter approaching and Christmas around the corner, the last thing residents need is to be worrying about whether they can afford to keep their homes warm.”
“Aontú and I have written to the minister and department seeking an urgent review of the criteria to correct what I believe to be a serious mistake. It is my understanding that it is entirely possible to correct this if the good will is there,” said Mr Reichenberg.
