AQW 19654/22-27

Ms Connie Egan
Alliance Party
North Down

Tabled Date: 10/12/2024
Answered On Date: 08/01/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Communities whether he is considering introducing a further energy payment for grassroots organisations impacted by rising costs.

Answer:

On 5 June 2024 I announced that, despite the significant shortfall in both the Resource and Capital budget allocations for my department, I had decided to protect the level of resource funding provided to Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) groups through the Neighbourhood Renewal Programme.

In addition to that, I have provided an additional 5% of resource (£1.45m) of resource funding to organisations funded through my departments, Community Empowerment Division (CED) and Voluntary and Community Division (VCD) programmes.

This additional resource element is intended, as part of my ongoing commitment to supporting the sector, to make a contribution towards easing the pressures VCS groups face with rising costs.