Households in Northern Ireland will begin to receive support with energy bills in the form of a single payment of £600 from as soon as January 2023, according to the UK Government.
In a statement, the government said the move was to ensure “the full benefit of the scheme is felt as soon as possible”.
Direct debit customers will receive the payment of £600 automatically into their bank account.
Other customers will receive a voucher worth £600 which they can redeem, with the government adding that “further details of how they will work and what ID will be required set out shortly”.
Details of the voucher scheme are expected to be announced “very soon”. It is expected it will be posted out to those people that are on pre-pay meters or who pay their bills quarterly.
Government officials are urging people not to contact their energy supplier and to be very aware of potential scams stressing no one will be asked for their bank details.
The government again blamed the collapse of devolution and the difference in the energy market for holding up the payment.
The Minister for Energy and Climate has written to Northern Ireland energy suppliers setting out his expectations, which includes urging them to suspend all debt recovery and enforcement activity until the end of January, as well as provide payment holidays until the end of January where customers are struggling to pay their bills.
Source: ITV
