On 2nd of March 2022 Lucie Heath wrote in inside housing about the struggling households to receive £200 by Northern Ireland to meet their energy cost. According to her,
Payments from the government’s £55 million Energy Payment Support Scheme will begin on March 10th.
The £200 payments will be sent automatically to around 280,000 persons who receive specified benefits through existing payment systems.
Individuals who received one of the following benefits during the qualifying week (December 13 to December 19, 2021) are eligible:
->Pension Credit
->Universal Credit
->Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
->Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
->Income Support
“The rising cost of living and skyrocketing rises in energy bills continue to have a big impact on those who are finding it harder to cope,” Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey said. Many people are unable to afford basic necessities such as heating their houses and paying their electrical bills.”
She noted that, in addition to the £200 reduction, additional assistance was available, such as the Affordable Warmth and Boiler Replacement programmes, Cold Weather Payments, Discretionary Support, and the Winter Fuel Payment.
It comes as UK consumers grapple with skyrocketing energy bills as wholesale gas prices rise.
In response, UK chancellor Rishi Sunak proposed a one-time £200 energy bill rebate for all homes, which would be paid back over five years at a rate of £40 per year beginning in 2023.