A Scot was left having to borrow cash to pay for his payments after being left with out electrical energy or heating in one of many coldest weeks of the yr, whereas ready for 3 overdue power invoice assist grant payouts.
Retail employee Sean Quinn ought to have up to now obtained £199 in UK Authorities vouchers as a part of the scheme to assist folks with the crippling prices of electrical energy and gasoline this winter.
Nevertheless the 54-year-old, from Motherwell, has but to obtain a single penny within the final three three months, and has hit out on the 'incompetency' of Scottish Energy after spending hours attempting to contact them for assist.
Regardless of the corporate saying all prospects had been given the funds, Sean claims to have been always been fobbed off and says he has obtained no solutions as to the place his vouchers are.
Throughout per week of freezing temperatures in early mid-December, Sean was left with no heating or energy in any respect after a pay blunder at work meant he was unable to prime up his pre-paid meter.
Sean advised the File: "I've actually wanted the assist grant, particularly when my electrical energy obtained lower off within the chilly climate.
"I have been left ready three months and have not obtained a single cost from Scottish Energy. It is unacceptable. How can they get away with this?
"I've known as them numerous instances to attempt to get some emergency help however you'll be able to't even get by means of to the road.
"The net messaging service simply says the vouchers are 'being processed'.
"I used to be on maintain for nicely over an hour a number of instances earlier than I gave up. I ended up having to go and borrow some cash. It is complete incompetency."
The UK Authorities introduced in July that households would begin receiving £400 off their power payments from October, with the low cost made in six instalments to assist households all through the winter interval.
Conventional prepayment meter prospects are supplied with Vitality Invoice low cost vouchers from the primary week of every month, issued by way of SMS textual content, e mail or publish, utilizing the shopper’s registered contact particulars.
Sean added: "Scottish Energy have been entrusted to manage these grants by the Authorities at a time when folks really want the assistance they usually're simply not doing it."
After being contacted by the File, a spokesperson for Scottish Energy stated: “We're sorry to listen to concerning the points Mr Quinn has skilled. We're investigating and can work to resolve the scenario as rapidly as attainable.”
A UK Authorities spokesperson additionally stated: "The UK Authorities has stringent compliance and enforcement measures in place with all suppliers for the Vitality Payments Assist Scheme, and we require them to report back to us on a month-to-month foundation on their supply.
"Suppliers are additionally held to account by the power regulator Ofgem on all issues referring to their enterprise and repair to prospects. BEIS has contacted Scottish Energy concerning this explicit grievance."
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