According to a report by the cross-party Public Accounts Committee, lack of government "bandwidth" has resulted in millions of individuals experiencing prolonged delays in receiving energy support.
According to the report, a significant number of households, estimated to be as high as 900,000, only became eligible for the £400-off energy bills support scheme in late February. This occurred nearly five months after consumers in the main scheme had already started receiving discounts. These households primarily consisted of those without a direct relationship with an electricity supplier, such as residents living in park homes or on boats.
Additionally, the report highlights that 836,000 residences in Northern Ireland began receiving their £400 off energy bills in January 2023. This timing was three months later than the rest of the United Kingdom.
The delayed eligibility for these households and the discrepancy in Northern Ireland's timeline underscore the challenges and inconsistencies in implementing the energy bills support scheme, potentially leading to financial burdens and inequalities for affected individuals and regions.
According to the report, there were approximately two million households in Great Britain still in possession of vouchers for their £400 payment in February but had not yet redeemed them. These households were primarily using prepayment meters.
The Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), responsible for administering the payments, admitted to the committee that it lacked the capacity and resources to ensure timely support reached all eligible groups. However, it also acknowledged that electricity suppliers share the responsibility of ensuring that the vouchers are redeemed.