Minister to propose £100 oil payment for lower income households

Minister to propose £100 oil payment for lower income households26 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleJayne McCormack,Political correspondentandNiall Glynn,BBC News NIPA MediaGordon Lyons said more funding is needed than is being offered by the UK governmentCommunities Minister Gordon Lyons is set to propose households in Northern Ireland with a total income of about £30,000 or less will get an extra payment to help with heating oil bills.Stormont ministers are meeting to discuss how to manage pressures facing farmers, businesses and households in Northern Ireland due to rising fuel costs.The proposal, if approved would see about 340,000 households receive a payment of about £100 to use for heating oil.The UK government has pledged £17m pledge to mitigate home heating oil bills and Lyons said he would ask for for his executive colleagues to agree to match that amount."I am asking for additional sums because I want to give something that will actually make a difference to people," the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) politician said."I don't believe that [the current amount pledged] is sufficient and that is why I am looking for additional money from the executive."We are bringing forward a plan that will target those on the lowest incomes, including those that are not on benefits and it will come in the form of direct financial support which they will be able to use specifically for the purposes of home heating oil costs because that's where the concern is right now."He said if the scheme was approved it would still take "a couple to three months to put into place" before those affected would receive the money.Lyons told The Nolan Show the scheme "would not help everyone" and urged the government to look at cutting fuel duty.The issue of fuel costs will be raised in the context of ongoing talks at the executive about a multi-year budget.Ministers have repeatedly said they need additional resources from...