GPs, dentists and solicitors among businesses to qualify for energy supports of up to €30k a month 

The maximum monthly amount a business can claim back will also increase from €10,000 to €30,000. Picture: iStock

GPs, dentists, and solicitors are among the businesses that will now qualify for energy supports of up to €30,000 a month under changes due to be announced on Thursday.

The expansion of a scheme to support companies facing spiralling energy bills will be announced by Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe under the Finance Bill.

The Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS) unveiled as part of the budget had originally only covered so-called Case 1 tax trades, such as restaurants, hotels and shops. However, the support has now been widened out to include professional businesses such as GPs and solicitors.

The maximum monthly amount a business can claim back will also increase from €10,000 to €30,000. However, the €30,000 maximum will apply only to businesses that have more than one premises. 

The scheme will compare average energy prices this year with the same period in 2021.

Once a company can show bills have risen by 50% compared to last year, the business can claim for 40% of the increased amount.

The Finance Bill will also include the deferral of a controversial concrete levy until September and the rate will be set at 5% and not the 10% that had been originally outlined on budget day.

The levy had been due to come into force from April, however, Fianna Fáil backbenchers raised concerns the levy would push up the cost of houses further.

Meanwhile, the Government is working on extra financial measures to help vulnerable households with energy bills with an energy action plan due to be published in two weeks.

Taoiseach Micheál Martin told the Dáil the Commission for Regulation of Utilities is to suspend the €200 charge for customers who move from a pay-as-you-go gas meter account to bill pay.

But Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said 200,000 households wre now in electricity arrears and the fear of disconnection was very real.