Government in Northern Ireland to fund energy efficiency upgrades for 1,000 low-income households

She added: “Over 1,600 homes have already benefited from £3.5m of additional support provided by my department in the past two years.

“I am committed to ensuring that no one is left behind as we transition to a greener, more sustainable economy.”

The £8m pot is collected from electricity customers across Northern Ireland. The department runs 11 schemes which are mainly aimed at vulnerable customers.

One of the projects is earmarked for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE), the country’s largest public landlord.

The Priority PV Scheme pays for half of the cost of a solar panel system, hybrid inverter and battery storage in homes managed by the NIHE.

The scheme is only available for single-storey homes which are outside the natural gas area and use oil or electric heating.

The NIHE chooses the houses that will receive the funding and pays for the rest of the cost of the upgrade.

Almost all the remaining NISEP schemes are reserved for owner-occupiers and private renters, with a general focus on heating and insulation.

The NISEP was last extended in April 2024 and is currently due to run until March 2027.

Peter Russell, an executive director at the Utility Regulator, said: “NISEP is about helping homes and businesses become more energy-efficient, while also reducing carbon emissions.

“An average of more than 3,500 households have benefited from NISEP funding annually in recent years.

“Since 2010 NISEP has invested £108m, which will achieve a benefit of £845m for both business and domestic customers in reduced bills.

“We are proud to continue administering NISEP in partnership with the Energy Saving Trust, to ensure energy efficiency support is provided to those who most need it.”