'Disgrace' Households Have No Clarity Over Financial Support

The Alliance Party has said it is a "disgrace" households are still awaiting clarity about when they will receive financial support, despite energy price increases.

Alliance Energy spokesperson Eóin Tennyson was speaking after a range of energy price increases took hold, including a 56 per cent rise in bills for Firmus Energy customers, and households in Great Britain began to avail of the Energy Price Guarantee and the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme.

"We have recently seen the majority of energy companies in Northern Ireland apply dramatic price increases to domestic consumer bills. These increases further compound the already grave pressures facing households as a result of the cost of living crisis," said Mr Tennyson.

"Yet, while the Energy Price Guarantee and Energy Bills Support Scheme begin to roll out in Great Britain to ease the burden of soaring bills, people here still desperately await clarity on precisely when support will be delivered here and how any backdating will be processed.

"The first of this energy support was announced by the UK Government in February, just as the DUP began their boycott of the Executive. It is disgraceful we remain without a functioning Executive due to the DUP deadlock, at a time when struggling households and businesses are crying out for urgent clarity and leadership."