To ask the Minister for Communities what action she is taking to protect vulnerable people living in inadequately insulated housing this winter.

My Department offers support to assist vulnerable people to improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

Privately Owned and Privately Rented Homes

The Affordable Warmth Scheme is the Executive's main fuel poverty scheme and is available to eligible owner occupiers or those in private rented accommodation. It provides a range of energy efficiency measures including loft, cavity wall and solid wall insulation, replacement of inefficient heating systems and replacement windows where appropriate.

Since the Scheme was introduced in 2015 my Department has invested £92m to install 39,281 energy efficiency improvement measures in 21,376 homes, 11,103 of which have been insulation measures.

Housing Executive Homes

The Housing Executive is working to improve the insulation performance of its properties.

When heating replacement or other relevant improvement measures that would need Building Control approval are being carried out loft insulation is upgraded to comply with the current Building Regulation requirement of 270mm.

The Executive’s Cavity Wall Insulation Action Plan acknowledges that stock-wide remediation/replacement will be necessary. This will require significant funding to be identified and made available.

In the interim the Housing Executive will investigate and address cavity wall insulation issues where these are having a detrimental impact on the structure of the dwelling.

Funding secured from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) has facilitated a six year programme to address thermal efficiency in 1,900 aluminium bungalows and No Fines dwellings. This is primarily through the installation of new external wall cladding. Other energy improvement measures will include new double glazing and roof space insulation.