There will be an extended moratorium on disconnecting energy supplies to vulnerable customers this winter, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) has said.
The moratorium will begin on October 1st and end on March 31st. Previously, this moratorium only began on November 1st.
“The CRU is acutely aware of the significant challenges that all customers have been and will be facing in the context of increasing energy costs this winter,” said CRU chairperson Aoife MacEvilly.
“While the current measures provide a high level of protection for all customers, our focus was to enhance protection and security for the customers in greatest difficulty, including vulnerable customers, customers in debt and customers on financial hardship prepayment meters,” she added.
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Customers who are on the financial hardship meter will be placed on the cheapest tariff available from December 1st.
People who are on debt repayment plans will be allowed a minimum of 24 months to repay and may also pay back the debt in a shorter period if they prefer.
There is also a reduction in the debt repayment level for customers on pay-as-you-go meters from 25 per cent to a maximum of 10 per cent, meaning a €20 vend would have €2 deducted to pay the debt.
Furthermore, from November 1st there are enhanced requirements on suppliers to actively promote the vulnerable customer register and the protections it offers.
There will be no disconnections allowed in relation to all domestic customers from December 1st until February 28th, 2023.
The new measures represent a change in the level of protection previously available under the CRU supplier handbook and come on top of those already available under the Energy Engage Code where customers are encouraged to contact their supplier if they are encountering difficulties in paying their energy bill.
“These requirements will remain in place for all suppliers subject to future CRU reviews, with the first of these reviews to be undertaken in summer 2023,” Ms MacEvilly says.