Carla Lockhart said:

“The confirmation that payments will begin in January is welcome, albeit long overdue. This announcement does not excuse the Government for the delay they have presided over in issuing these payments to date. The bottom line is this money should, and could, have been with households across Northern Ireland by now if the Government had wanted it to. That is a point I have been making to the Government on an almost daily basis, and I am pleased that they have finally moved to this point.

Households in Northern Ireland will receive a single payment of £600 starting in January. Electricity firms will be funded for the payments, with direct debit customers receiving the money into their bank accounts. Other customers, such as those on pay as you go systems, will be sent a voucher to redeem the payment with further details still to be issued.

It is imperative that these vouchers are delivered in a timely fashion. We should not forget that the Government promised these payments would be received in November. I will be engaging with the Government to emphasis that these payments must be made in this latest time framework.”