Westminster has committed to delivering a £400 energy bill support scheme to people in Northern Ireland, Stormont Finance Minister Conor Murphy has said.

Speaking today after a meeting of the joint taskforce set up to deliver equivalent support to the Energy Bill Support Scheme, Mr. Murphy said: “[There has been] confirmation provided by the Chancellor [Nadhim Zahawi] today that the British government will deliver the £400 Energy Bill Support Scheme."

However, he continued: “Unfortunately, today’s meeting has provided no guarantee on when citizens here will receive the equivalent support.

“While the British government has committed to delivering support as quickly as possible, they have failed to confirm whether households will receive their payment at the same time as those in England, Scotland and Wales.

“It is deeply regrettable that payments to citizens in the North may be delayed due to the absence of an Executive."

Mr. Murphy added: "I have made it clear to the Chancellor and the Secretary of State at the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy that any delay in issuing these payments to citizens here will be completely unacceptable.

“I have also stressed to the Chancellor that the £400 payment will not be sufficient to meet the challenges facing households this winter in the face of escalating energy costs, and that this amount must be urgently reviewed.”

Stormont Economy Minister Gordon Lyons said he believed the £400 support scheme would be delivered in November.

The DUP minister tweeted that he had just finished a “very positive meeting” with Chancellor Zahawi and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng.

He said: “[The] UK government will deliver the £400 Energy Bills Support Scheme as promised. I believe this will be delivered this November.

“This was always the quickest and easiest way for it to be done.”