Gas users excluded from Emergency Fuel Support Programme

Household gas users have been excluded from Derry City and Strabane District Council's Emergency Fuel Support Programme, due to the inability of Firmus Energy to process payments. 

The programme was signed off on at Tuesday's Governance and Strategic Planning Committee meeting and will be open to oil and electricity customers only.

Speaking to Derry Now following the meeting, Councillor Emmet Doyle (Aontú) said he was bitterly disappointed  residents needing emergency help with gas will be left out due to Firmus’ inability to process payments.

Cllr Doyle said he welcomed the fact Council's Hardship Fund would soon be open for applications.

He added: "Constituents will know we have been working on this scheme for several months so that anyone in emergency need would be able to get £100 towards their energy costs.

"We were recently informed that Firmus couldn’t process top ups for us through the scheme, they they had no dedicated top-up team and that the most they could do was up to ten to twenty top-ups a week.  This from a company who were able to process thousands of payments on days before they disgracefully put their prices up.

"This has now forced us to go ahead with the scheme without including gas customers, something everyone involved has resisted against.

"My constituents in areas like Skeoge or in areas where gas is the only heating option will now not be eligible for help with gas in a scheme we designed to help as many people as possible.  

"I barely have the words to describe how angry I am that a multi million pound company who have already spread so much hardship in the district have now stopped us from helping more people.

The scheme will now open in the next 24 hours and those with electricity or oil can apply themselves via derrystrabane.com, or they can be referred by a local support organisation," said Cllr Doyle.

Following Tuesday's meeting, a spokesperson for Firmus Energy said: "Firmus energy is surprised and disappointed that Derry City and Strabane District Council has decided not to include gas customers in their fuel hardship payment scheme.

"Firmus energy would welcome the opportunity to support the Council on this scheme and has been working with this scheme’s administrators on other funds to ensure payments are provided to those that qualify. There are well proven processes in place to ensure payment vouchers are distributed effectively and we are more than willing to facilitate this Council scheme. We stand ready in whatever way that we can.”