Energy bills: One-off support payment due to begin

One-off £200 payments to help people struggling with rising energy costs are due to be rolled out on Friday.

The scheme was due to begin on Thursday, but was delayed by a day due to a technical glitch.

It is expected to go to about 280,000 people in Northern Ireland after being agreed by the NI executive in January.

Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey said more people could be helped if power sharing was fully restored.

She told BBC NI's Good Morning Ulster programme: "There's £300m that could be allocated to meet the needs of many others.

"My scheme had targeted the lowest incomes, those on means-tested benefits, but I recognise that there are many others who need support and need it now."

The £200 payments will be issued automatically to people who received one or more of five qualifying benefits during the week beginning 13 December 2021.

The Department for Communities said the qualifying benefits were:

• Pension Credit

• Income Support

• Income-based Job Seekers' Allowance

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

• Universal Credit

This scheme is separate to a previous emergency fund that opened earlier this year to help people needing help with fuel payments.