Housing organisations hit out at delays to £600 energy payments in Northern Ireland

The UK government has promised two separate energy support payments - one worth £400 that was first announced back in May and another that had originally been intended only for homes who rely on oil heating that was then extended to include all homes and increased to £200 - but the scheme has been beset by delays.

The government say the absence of a functioning Northern Ireland Executive is to blame but the DUP insist the payments could and should have been made already as is the case in the rest of the UK.

Now, in a joint statement, the Chartered Institute of Housing (NI), Homeless Connect, NIFHA and Housing Rights have expressed concern regarding the delays of the £600 energy bill payment, which will now not reach consumers in Northern Ireland until after Christmas.

“Households here are being failed by the ongoing lack of financial support to help with increased energy costs; continuing delays to the scheme being rolled out are unconscionable, particularly given that households in England, Scotland, and Wales have rightly been in receipt of support since October this year," a spokesperson for the four organisations said.

“Our members and the tenants and communities we work with are already being impacted by significant pressures on their households’ budgets and the delay in this payment further compounds this. Our members report increased instances where people are sitting in cold homes this winter.”