AQW 19655/22-27

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 to detail the (i) criteria; and (ii) application process for receipt of the energy payment provided for grassroots organisations impacted by rising costs in 2022.

Answer:

Since 2022, on three separate occasions my Department has provided payments to support Voluntary & Community Sector (VCS) organisations to meet the pressures associated with the cost-of-living crisis.

On each occasion payments were limited to those VCS organisations who had a funding relationship with the Department’s Voluntary & Community Division and Community Empowerment Division.

In May 2022 a payment of £1,000 was offered, with the additional criteria that the organisation’s funding included support for running costs;

In January 2023 a payment of up to £1,500 was offered with no additional criteria; and

In March 2024 a payment of £1,500 was provided also with no additional criteria.

For each payment the application process consisted of eligible organisations indicating that they wished to receive the support offered and completing a declaration to that effect.