The Family and Social Solidarity Ministry has explained the workings of the energy benefit “to counter erroneous information” being given by Opposition representatives.

The surcharge on power and water bills was introduced in 2005 and the government extended the original scheme of a rebate on the lease of the meter, which benefited about 13,000 families. This scheme has evolved into an energy benefit that is being enjoyed by 30,000 families, costing the government Lm3.3 million, compared to the previous Lm800,000, the ministry said.

For the benefit to be introduced, the ministry had referred to National Statistics Office figures relating to typical household consumption. If all members of a household were beneficiaries or dependent on a beneficiary, and fell within their relevant parametres, the surcharge would be waived in its entirety, as would the meter rent. Non-beneficiaries would have to pay their share of the surcharge.

People classed as beneficiaries on a humanitarian basis, because of a condition necessitating heavy use of electricity or water, would have the surcharge waived completely.

The ministry said that in 1998, under Labour, water and electricity bills had shot up, and not because of high international fuel prices. In spite of the surcharge, today’s bills were lower than those brought in by the Labour government. And in 1998, no one was being helped, except for a very limited compensation.