Calls for more clarity on timeframe for £400 energy bill discount scheme in Northern Ireland

It is feared households in Northern Ireland will not access the £400 energy discount in November as planned.

The UK Government scheme to help amid the energy crisis was due to be rolled out from November, according to former Prime Minister Liz Truss.

No further details about the timeframe for receiving this money off bills has been revealed.

The department in charge of the scheme would not answer our questions regarding doubts around the discounts being delivered in November.

Energy providers in NI will receive the cash, and they will then slash the costs for their customers.

Winter Fuel Payments for pensioners will begin to automatically land in bank accounts from November 1st, while an energy price guarantee also comes into play.

The energy price guarantee means energy suppliers will reduce bills by a unit price of up to 17p/kWh for electricity and 4.2p/kWh for gas. According to Click Electricity, this will save customers an average of over £11 per week.

However, we understand that many homes have also already factored the £400 discount scheme into their budgets for the winter, meaning any delay will cause great dismay.

Jeni Millar is a mother of three from Belfast.

I asked the 43-year-old student why she agreed to speak out about the struggles of making ends meet.

She responded by describing herself as "a mum who just wants to do better for everyone".

"Everybody's getting it tight at the minute, people ought to speak up," she said.

"I am in receipt of benefits. It's been difficult, but it's never been impossible.

"It's getting colder, it's getting darker, we're going to need the heat on, we're going to need the lights on longer and I have absolutely no idea what's going to give because already when you're on benefits, it's a really tight ship."

Jeni, a single mother, went on to outline the difficult choices which lie ahead.

"The two dogs are actually great hot-water bottles.

"But it's very mild at the minute for October. When it gets to the proper winter days, I have absolutely ... I'm never stuck for words but I don't know, I really don't know what we're going to do."

Many charities have been working in overdrive, working to ease the burden on people like Jeni.

In South Belfast, the Ormeau Road Fuel Bank was created in Autumn 2021 when terms like energy-crisis started to come into common usage.

It brings together multiple sports teams, charities and religious organisation, shedding a light on how the issue impacts all walks of life and all sides of traditional divides in NI.

Bredagh GAA club chairperson Malcolm McFarlane has been working with the traders association, neighbouring Rosario FC and the Ormeau Boxing Club, to provide some relief to locals in need.

"Sports clubs like ourselves can tap into a large proportion of the local community, and they also want to do their bit.

"We raise the money, collect the money etc, but we're not in the true position to distribute it - we then partner with the charities of St Vincent de Paul, the Salvation Army and some of the local churches who know where the real need is, and they distribute it," he said.

"Everybody is effected by this. They've no idea if last year their bill was £1,000, is it going to be £3,000?"

He worries that the worst is yet to come.

"We know that if we hit a cold snap, there'll be a major spike in demand," he said. "We're giving it another push now - there's no sense asking for it in the middle of the summer."

Former Economy Minister Gordon Lyons said he hopes the help is delivered with haste, and that he understands there are "some legal and technical challenges to sort out".

He added: "I had met with a previous Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi on this issue in the summer time. There was an agreement that this would be done as quickly as possible and that it would be likely that it would be done in November or at the latest in December.

"It's a UK Government scheme, they're responsible for running it, but I will continue to press - and my party colleagues will be pressing this week - for this to take place as quickly as possible."

The department responsible, called BEIS (Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy), would not answer our questions about when exactly this money would be paid out.

We tried to ask for specific answers to questions about the timeline, but this is the only comment that came.

A statement said: "Through the Energy Prices Act 2022, the UK Government has powers to ensure support with energy bills can get to households, businesses andpublic-sector organisations in Northern Ireland."This means despite the Executive failing to form, help will still be available to the people of Northern Ireland this winter, including through the Energy Price Guarantee - providing much needed reassurance and support."

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