Fuel costs: £100 heating oil payments to start in September

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said his officials had “worked at pace to put in place a fair and robust system”.

The scheme will be open to households with a combined income of £30,000 or less, or those on certain benefits including pension credit and PIP.

It is expected that 75% or more of applications will be processed automatically.

However, some people will have to provide additional information to show they qualify.

That is likely to include lower paid self-employed people who are not claiming any benefits.

Lyons said: “I would encourage anyone who may be eligible, or those assisting them, to review the eligibility criteria online and ensure they are ready to submit an application when the scheme opens.”

Around two thirds of Northern Ireland households use home heating oil, by far the highest proportion of any UK region.

Unlike gas or electricity, the heating oil market is unregulated, meaning increases in wholesale costs are rapidly passed through to consumers.

At the start of the Iran conflict, that saw prices almost double in a matter of days.

Prices have since fallen back from their peak but are still around 50% higher than before the UK-Israeli attack on Iran.