AQW 35/22-27

Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 16/05/2022
Answered On Date: 26/05/2022
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy (i) what advice can he offer to people with rising energy costs, including electricity; (ii) what steps he is taking to mitigate these costs; (iii) to outline the process for people who cannot afford to pay their energy bills; and (iv) what conversations has he had with energy companies to provide support to their customers.

Answer:

Significant increases and ongoing volatility in international wholesale fuel prices witnessed across the globe have continued to impact negatively on our electricity and gas markets. Directly impacting consumers across Northern Ireland, these high prices are forecast to continue for some time with further increases a real possibility.

I would encourage any customer that is struggling to pay their energy bill, or is in debt, to contact their supplier for help.

Through their regulated licence conditions, energy suppliers should support their customers by working with them to develop a manageable repayment plan; providing additional protection to consumers who are of pensionable age, disabled or chronically ill; and providing energy efficiency advice which may reduce their usage and therefore their overall bill.

The Department for Communities (DfC) has lead responsibility for fuel poverty and any mitigations that may be put in place to assist with rising fuel costs. There are a number of government support schemes and independent advice agencies that can provide consumers with additional help. This information can be found on NI Direct.

The Utility Regulator (UR) is responsible for regulating gas tariffs charged by the dominant suppliers in the Greater Belfast and Ten Towns license areas and also the largest electricity supplier in Northern Ireland. The UR scrutinises the energy supplier submissions in relation to price changes and ensures that customers pay no more than the efficient costs of purchasing and supplying the energy plus an agreed profit margin set by the UR. The Department has an oversight role in this process.

The new Energy Strategy sets out the intention to introduce minimum standards for the energy efficiency of buildings and to substantially increase funding and support for retrofitting buildings. This will help consumers make changes that reduce their energy use and subsequently the amount they need to spend on energy. I am also planning to have a round table meeting with energy companies in the coming weeks to discuss rising energy prices for domestic consumers in the context of affordability issues leading into next winter.