Oil buying clubs aim to save in fight against fuel poverty

Oil buying clubs are becoming increasingly popular here due to rising fuel prices.

Householders across Northern Ireland are being encouraged to join a local club to save on heating the home.

Run in conjunction with Bryson Energy, the Housing Executive run a number of the local groups across Tyrone and Fermanagh.

The housing body want as many people as possible to join clubs locally, a new club has only recently started in Omagh

There are currently clubs in: Belcoo (Belcoo, Letterbreen Co Fermanagh), Carrosyl Oil Buying Club (Carrowshee Park/Sylvan Hill Lisnaskea), Crannog Area Partnership (Cavanaleck, Chanterhill, Cornagrade, Sligo Road - Enniskillen Co Fermanagh), Irvinestown (Irvinestown / Lisnarick / Killideas Co Fermanagh) and Omagh (Town only - Credit Union common bond area).

Families can typically save up to ten percent on the average price of home heating oil.

With oil prices rising and levels of fuel poverty hitting Northern Ireland hardest and incomes remaining low, the Housing Executive believe the scheme is ideally placed to tackle the issue.

Robert Clements, Sustainable Development Manager with the Executive, says its a simple way to save.

"Typically, we believe families will save somewhere between £70-80 per year," he told Q radio news.

"It's the individual family we're concerned about, trying to save them money to allow them to budget so they're not thinking of having to spend £300-400 pound every 4 or 5 months to pay for their home heating," he said.

LISTEN: Robert Clements, Sustainable Development Manager at the Housing Executive spoke to Q radio's Paul Gill earlier today and explained the 'ins and outs of "oil buying clubs" and why they're so important.