To ask the Minister for Communities, following the publication of the NUS-USI 2026 Cost of Living Report, whether his Department plans to introduce a grant to assist students experiencing fuel poverty.

The Warm Healthy Homes Strategy sets out a comprehensive approach to tackling fuel poverty across Northern Ireland, including measures to improve the energy efficiency of homes, strengthen consumer protections, raise housing standards, and ensure better access to trusted advice and referral pathways so that households can access the support available.

A key element of this work is to raise housing standards and improve enforcement, with a strategic action to introduce Minimum Energy efficiency standards for the Private Rented Sector by 2027. This will also be supported by a strategic action to establish improved fitness standards for all tenures by 2030.

Further key actions are to promote awareness and understanding of electricity and gas tariff options and bills and significantly increase the availability and accessibility of good energy information and advice for low-income, vulnerable households.

I have also launched a public consultation on the proposed Warm Healthy Homes Fund. The Fund is being developed to provide long term support to low‑income households, including those in the private rented sector, through a range of measures to improve the energy efficiency of homes where the occupants are least able to meet the cost of improvements themselves.

The Strategy is underpinned by a needs‑based approach, focused on those most affected by fuel poverty.