Stormont ministers to meet with Chancellor again over £400 winter energy bill discount

Chancellor of the Exchequer ,Nadhim Zahawi, is meeting with Stormont ministers again today in an attempt to work out how households will get the £400 energy discount.

Back in May the UK government announced the discount plans but without functioning devolved government in Northern Ireland, It was never clear how the money would get here.

In the absence of a working legislative Assembly, a decision-making executive still isn't formed so the process of the money filtering to homes here is slightly more complicated.

It is clearer for the rest of the UK, with the Westminster Government revealing the details of a scheme last month in which households in Great Britain would get more than £60 off their energy bills each month during the winter as part of its cost-of-living support measures.

Households will see £66 taken off their energy bills in October and November, and £67 between December and March, the Government said.

Mr Zahawi was in Northern Ireland last week but today's meeting will be virtual.

During last week's meeting he spoke with Economy Minister Gordon Lyons, Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey and the Utility Regulator.