A one-off £63 reduction will be applied to electricity bills for about 860,000 households in Northern Ireland from 6 October.

The Household Electricity Discount will be paid automatically by electricity suppliers with no application process for customers. It is not means tested and does not depend on electricity consumption.

The discount applies to both households that receive bills and those using pre-pay or keypad meters. Bill-paying customers will see a £60 pre-VAT credit on their account, equivalent to £63 including VAT. Pre-pay and keypad customers will get the £63 credit when they top up, but to receive the full amount in one go they should top up by no more than £112.

Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald said the scheme will help families as winter approaches and energy costs rise. She added that those who feel they do not need the support could donate to a fuel poverty charity.

Earlier this year, Archibald secured agreement from the Treasury for annual electricity discounts of about £30 per household over three years, matching support in Britain. Following a temporary six-month VAT cut on domestic electricity in Britain, the minister negotiated additional funding to deliver a combined payment of £63 this year.

The scheme follows Treasury approval in June for £85.4 million over three years to cover 75% of the domestic cost of the Northern Ireland Renewables Obligation. A further £25.7 million has been secured for 2026/27, equivalent to the temporary VAT reduction in Britain. The Department estimates total funding for this year's combined discount at £53 million.

Suppliers will use NIE Networks account records dated 4 October 2026 to apply the credit automatically. Customers who already have credit on their account will have the support added to their balance. Where a landlord holds the electricity account, the credit goes to that account.

The Household Electricity Discount Scheme will continue in 2027 and 2028, with amounts to be confirmed before each payment.

Households will not be asked to provide bank details or pay a fee to claim the discount. Any messages requesting either are scams. For scheme queries, customers can contact the NI Energy Advice Service on 0800 111 4455.