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Energy Bills Support Scheme: Stormont impasse 'hindering' £400 payment

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Many households in Northern Ireland are bracing themselves for a difficult winter as the cost-of-living crisis continues

The absence of a Northern Ireland Executive is behind delays to the payment of the £400 energy payments to households, the Northern Ireland secretary has said.

Households are due to be credited with the payment automatically to help with energy costs this winter.

Chris Heaton-Harris said the problem was that there was no executive to deliver the payments.

He said he hoped there would be clarity "very, very soon" on a resolution.

Mr Heaton-Harris said he hoped it would be clear how payments will "hit the pockets of people" in Northern Ireland.

"Having no executive does hinder a host of different things that need to be delivered for the people of for Northern Ireland," he told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme.

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) withdrew from the executive in protest over the Northern Ireland Protocol, which is part of the Brexit deal, after the Northern Ireland Assembly election in May.

The executive is at the heart of Northern Ireland's devolved government, made up of ministers nominated to oversee key departments such as health, finance and justice.

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland's former economy minister said he believed energy companies were ready to proceed with the payments.

Gordon Lyons said it was now up to the UK government to decide whether this is going to be in one lump sum, as had previously been agreed, or in six monthly payments.

He said the decision was with the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Graphic showing home heating oil prices

Former prime minister Liz Truss previously said the payment would be backdated to 1 October - the same date when households in Great Britain receive their electricity bill discounts.

She said households would get the £400 energy support discount in November.

Elsewhere in the UK, gas and electricity customers are receiving the payment in the form of six monthly payments of £67.

The Northern Ireland secretary said he had been speaking to Minister of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Grant Shapps about the energy payments.

The UK government previously said it was "working at pace to deliver a solution which accounts for differences in the Northern Ireland energy market so it can get to households as soon as possible".

The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has been asked to comment.