North Belfast is facing unprecedented levels of fuel poverty, an energy charity has warned.

The most recent figures available show that in 2006, 37% of households in the north Belfast area of the Belfast City Council were experiencing fuel poverty and National Energy Action NI (NEA NI) expects this figure to rise, when new statistics are published in the autumn.

The charity is calling on older people in north Belfast to share their experiences of fuel poverty in a bid to force government action.

As part of its new, Affordable Warmth Campaign, NEA NI wants to highlight the difficulties faced by over-60s across Northern Ireland in heating their homes.

At a meeting this week, delegates from government, the charity sector and local agencies were told that the strategy to help the fuel poor here is failing.

Pat Austin, director of the NEA told the group: “Too much time has been spent discussing strategy and which groups should be targeted first — so the debate has just stagnated.

“While we are fully aware that fuel poverty is rife across many diverse sections of society in Northern Ireland — affecting almost 50% of households — we have to start somewhere in tackling the problem.

“We know that older households here are predisposed to fuel poverty, with a third of all pensioners living below the poverty line. Our new Affordable Warmth campaign will help tell the story of older people here, supplementing existing data with real-life evidence about what it is like to be fuel poor.

“The campaign has received substantial financial funding, enabling us to run it across three years.

“In the short to medium term, we want to increase awareness of fuel poverty and possible solutions for it.

“The long-term aim is to deliver a sustainable policy for older people, influenced by older people themselves.

“The project will be led by NEA NI but run in partnership with agencies that support older people throughout Northern Ireland.

“Our research will include holding a number of focus groups in urban and rural areas with those aged 60 and over who are experiencing fuel poverty.

“We hope that some of these people will help us work up detailed case studies which will form part of our final campaign report.”

Other aspects of the campaign include the setting up of an advocacy network to record the views of fuel-poor households and local agencies that support them.

And NEA will also provide evidence to government bodies and committees, as well as national and regional agencies and political parties — urging them to prioritise the eradication of fuel poverty.

Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK where the number of older people dying as a direct cause of fuel poverty has increased.

NISRA statistics show there was a 60% increase in the number of cold-related deaths in Northern Ireland in 2008.

NEA is keen to hear from anyone over the age of 60 in north Belfast who has experienced fuel poverty and would like more information on the campaign’s research project.

The NEA can be contacted by telephone on 9023 9909 or by writing to NEA NI, 64-66 Upper Church Lane, Belfast BT1 4QL.

The email address is northern.ireland@nea.org.uk and the website www.nea.org.uk.