The number of domestic gas customers in arrears rose again in March, new data released by the energy regulator shows.
According to the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU), 25% of domestic gas customers were in arrears at the end of the month, compared to 23% a month earlier.
But the percentage of non-domestic gas users overdue on their accounts dropped from 30% to 28% at the end of the same period.
10% of domestic electricity customers were also in arrears at the end of March, down from 11% at the end of the previous month.
March was the month that the Government's last of the three winter energy credits was applied.
However, the percentage of non-domestic electricity customers overdue on their bills rose slightly from 16% at the end of February to 17% at the end of March.
On a quarterly basis the proportion of those in domestic electricity arrears slipped from 11% to 10% between the last three months of last year and the first three months of this year.
But there was a substantial increase in non-domestic electricity arrears over the same period, rising from 12% to 17%.
The figures also show 25% of domestic gas customers were in arrears at the end of the quarter, compared to 22% in the three months to the end of December.
While 28% of non-domestic gas users were also in arrears during the January to March period, versus 25% in the quarter before.
218 domestic gas customers had their supply disconnected in March due to non-payment of account, up from 145 in February.
While 103 domestic electricity users were also disconnected, up from 60 a month earlier, the CRU said.
Sinn Féin Senator, Lynn Boylan, expressed disappointment that the CRU had not published the amount of arrears.
"In order to know the scale of the problem we need all the data," she said.
"However, what is clear is that the relentless escalation of living costs is pushing individuals and families to the brink, as energy bills take chunks out of already stretched budgets."
"The Government rebates are just a sticking plaster over a much deeper wound. Now is not the time for more of the same or short-term fixes; we need a seismic shift towards real, sustainable change for good."
