Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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189. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will advise on how a tenant who is on an electricity sub meter with pre-pay power, where the landlord has a commercial account, can access the electricity grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2989/23]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin Bay South, Green Party)
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Government is acutely aware of the impact that the recent increases in global energy prices is having on households. This is why a €2.4 billion package of supports was implemented during 2022, and a package of once off measures worth €2.5 billion included in Budget 2023. The Budget package includes an Electricity Cost Emergency Benefit Scheme through which €550.47 (exclusive of VAT) will be credited to each domestic electricity account in three payments of €183.49 (exclusive of VAT) in each of the following billing periods - November/December 2022, January/February 2023 and March/April 2023. The estimated cost of this scheme is €1.211 billion.

The payments apply to domestic electricity accounts, including those with Pay As You Go meters, which are subject to distribution use of system charges at the rate for urban domestic customers (DG1) or the rate for rural domestic customers (DG2). The scheme uses the single identifier of the Meter Point Registration Number (MPRN) to ensure it can be administered automatically and without an application/approval process.

While the majority of residential tenants will hold their own domestic electricity accounts, and therefore receive the credit directly, others could have tenancy agreements where tenants pay their actual share of each bill and, in those cases, will benefit from the payment because the amount of the bill will be reduced by the amount of the payment. A small proportion could have other arrangements in place whereby electricity costs are part of the rental cost. Where tenants have a dispute relating to tenancies including any terms relating to electricity payments, these can be referred to the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) for dispute resolution. As there is no data set identifying this cohort, increasing awareness of entitlements of existing social protection measures, which include provision for help with household bills, is an important way of supporting people in this situation.

Along with the Electricity Cost Emergency Benefit Scheme, Budget 2023 also introduced measures including:- €400 lump sum payment to Fuel Allowance recipients- €200 lump sum payment for pensioners and people with a disability getting the Living Alone Increase- €500 cost of living lump sum payment to all families getting Working Family Payment- double payment of Child Benefit to support all families with children- €500 cost of living payment for people receiving Carer's Support Grant will be paid in November- €500 lump sum cost of living disability support grant will be paid to all people receiving a long term disability payment.

Any customer that is in need of additional support may apply for an Additional Needs Payment provided by the Department of Social Protection, including customers on a Pay As You Go meter who have a need for financial assistance to facilitate their continued energy supply. Every effort will be made to ensure that these vulnerable individuals in financial distress, and who qualify, receive an Additional Needs Payment on the same day or as soon as possible where it relates to electricity and heating expenses.

On 13 December, Government approved a new Energy Poverty Action Plan, which provides for the establishment of a €10 million fund to further support people in, or at risk of, energy poverty this winter and into 2023, including people on PAYG meters. The fund will provide a further safeguard in addition to the supports from suppliers and the Additional Needs Payment operated by the Department of Social Protection. The Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) is also available to provide budgeting advice and advocacy support.