Explanatory note

These Regulations provide for payments (“Emergency Fuel Payments”) to be made to eligible persons under the Emergency Fuel Payment Scheme (Northern Ireland) 2025.

Regulation 2 provides that the Emergency Fuel Payment Scheme (Northern Ireland) 2025 is set out in the Schedule to the Regulations.

Schedule 1

Paragraph 2 provides that to be eligible for an Emergency Fuel Payment, a person must have—

• reached pensionable age in or before the qualifying week;

• be ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland;

• and is not entitled to a Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment in respect of winter 2024/25.

Paragraph 3 provides for the amount of Emergency Fuel Payment to be paid by the Department to eligible persons.

Paragraph 4 provides that a person who has reached pensionable age in or before the qualifying week is not eligible for an Emergency Fuel Payment if they are—

• one member of a couple where the Department has paid a Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment in respect of the qualifying week to the other member of that couple;

• a member of a polygamous marriage where the Department has paid a Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment in respect of the qualifying week to another member of that marriage;

• receiving free in-patient treatment and has been receiving free in-patient treatment for a period of at least 52 weeks ending immediately before the qualifying week; or

• detained in custody under a sentence imposed by a court.

Paragraph 5 provides that the Department may recover any payment made in error.

Paragraph 6 provides that persons who are eligible for an Emergency Fuel Payment but do not receive it by 11th April 2025 may apply for the payment from the Department for Communities by 30th June 2025. If the Department is satisfied that the applicant was eligible for an Emergency Fuel Payment during the qualifying week, the Department shall make the payment.

Paragraph 7 provides that there is no right of appeal.

Paragraph 8 provides that an Emergency Fuel Payment may be disregarded for social security benefits purposes.

Paragraph 9 provides that the Department for Communities may use social security information for the purpose of determining eligibility for an Emergency Fuel Payment.

Schedule 2

The Table in Schedule 2 provides a list of applicable countries in which a person may be habitually resident and eligible for an Emergency Fuel Payment if able to show a genuine and sufficient link to the United Kingdom.

This Scheme, which may also be referred to as the Pension Age Fuel Support Payment for Northern Ireland, will apply to Northern Ireland only.

A regulatory impact assessment has not been produced for the Regulations as they have no impact on the costs of business.