Fall in number of NI people struggling to make payments

The number of people who sometimes struggle to pay their energy bills has fallen in the last 12 months, according to a survey by the Utility Regulator.

More than 1,500 domestic consumers took part in the research between October and January.

The survey is carried out every year to hear consumer experiences of the Northern Ireland electricity and gas markets.

It found the number of people who sometimes struggle to pay their electricity bill fell from 33% last year to 23% this year.

The number of respondents who sometimes struggle to pay for gas also fell from 36% to 27%.

However, there are certain groups – such as customers with disabilities, those who live in social housing, and private renters – who were more likely to struggle to pay their energy bills.

Head of consumer protection at the Utility Regulator, Sinéad Dynan, said: “We are very aware that some consumers continue to struggle paying for their electricity or gas and don’t fully engage with their suppliers to ensure they are receiving all the support they can avail of.

“We will continue to promote the ways that energy suppliers support their customers and the extra protections in place for those in vulnerable circumstances, to try and encourage more take-up of these services,” she added.

The research found private renters and those living in social housing were more likely than homeowners to experience payment difficulties and less likely to be aware what support is available.