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As if to reinforce claims that the government’s £100 home heating oil payment is not nearly enough, the price of the commodity has risen by half that amount in the space of seven days.

The £50 rise in the cost of 900 litres of home heating oil was revealed in the latest figures from the Consumer Council.

DUP MP Carla Lockhart described the government’s £100 payment as “miserly”.

She said: "£100 today would purchase 80 litres. Many firms would not even deliver such a small quantity.

“The government must get real and realise that the miserly level of support for households using oil will not be sufficient.

"I have made this clear in representations to the minister, and will keep the pressure on for an increase in payments.”

No exact date was given for when the payment would be made, the statement from the government only indicated it would come “this winter”.

The £100 payment is in addition to the £400 discount on bills through the Northern Ireland Energy Bills Support Scheme which applies to all customers.

The Energy Price Guarantee which came into force from October 1 applies to gas customers instead of the £100 payment.

Cost of Living Crisis: DUP MP Carla Lockhart describes the government’s £100 payment for oil users as “miserly”.