Michelle Mcllveen, member of the legislative assembly for Strangford, wants oil users to switch on to the potential benefits of the government’s £12 million boiler replacement scheme launched last September.
“The scheme is an excellent initiative with thousands of households set to benefit. In my experience there are many homes in Strangford still being heated by older, inefficient boilers and I would urge consumers to act now to reduce energy costs and improve energy efficiency.”
“We estimate that over 60% of oil boilers in Northern Ireland are over 15 years old and could benefit from an upgrade,” said David Blevings, OFTEC Ireland manager. “A condensing oil boiler will increase efficiency levels by up to18% and that can mean an annual saving on oil of up to £300 every year! Upgrading to a condensing boiler is easy compared to switching to an alternative fuels source. All your existing pipe work remains and the new boiler simply slots into the existing space with minimal upheaval and disruption.”
The Department for Social Development (DSD) confirmed funding for the installation of around 5000 boilers. In the 2013/14 financial year, an additional £4 million funding has been secured from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), had been secured.
The amount of grant payable is dependent on total gross income. Those earning less than £20,000 will get a grant of £700 to replace the boiler, rising to £1000 if controls are also installed. For those earning between £20,000 and £40,000 the grant is £400 for the boiler, rising to £500 if controls are installed.
Applications to the scheme, administered by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, are on a first come first serve basis. www.nihe.gov.uk. In December 2012, a DSD report showed that 21,000 applications had been received with 1200 approvals issued to date.
