It is “grossly unfair” that people who use very little energy are not entitled to a €150 electricity credit, Richard Boyd Barrett has said. 

The People Before Profit TD has been contacted by a number of constituents who have been careful with their energy use over the past year - and were shocked to discover they do not meet the qualifying threshold as a consequence.

In each case, the constituent was elderly and living in a council property.

“What we discovered over the last couple of weeks in my office - and I’ve started to hear about more cases now - is that people who didn’t use very much electricity because they were afraid they wouldn’t be able to pay their bills, didn’t reach what’s called the minimum usage threshold,” Deputy Boyd Barrett told Newstalk Breakfast. 

“So, they used so little electricity that they weren’t given the credit but they believed they were going to get it. 

“In fact, they were depending on it and were shocked to discover they were not entitled to it.” 

Who qualifies?

During the cost of living crisis, the Government announced it would subsidise people’s bills through the introduction of energy credits that would be applied automatically to people’s electricity bills.

Under the rules announced at the time, homes which did not use 150 kWh of energy per quarter between June 2022 and June 2023 would not be eligible for the credit.

According to Switcher.ie, the average Irish home uses 4,200 kWh of electricity a year – or 1,050 kWh per quarter.

The threshold does not apply if the household has a vulnerable customer living in it or they have a hardship Pay as You Go meter account.

A radiator and euro bank notes.

Universal

Deputy Boyd Barrett said the policy is “grossly unfair” and that it is “difficult to know” how many will be impacted. 

“I would certainly hope, expect and ask the Government that everybody - because that was the original principle behind the €150 credit - would get it,” he said.

“I think it would be absolutely wrong if people who actually need it most and who would be quite vulnerable, often elderly and living alone [did not] get it. 

“So, I think the Government needs to address this immediately and retrospectively give that credit to people who are now landed with bills they have difficulty paying.” 

In recent days, a number of energy companies have announced price cuts and further reductions are expected in the spring.

Main image: People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd-Barrett on the plinth at Leinster House. Image: Brian Lawless/PA Wire/PA Images