First €200 electricity credits will begin to appear on bills from tomorrow

Minister for the Environment, Climate, and Communications Eamon Ryan said targeted measures such as these energy credits are proven to ease the pressure on households. Picture: Julien Behal 

The first of the Government’s three €200 electricity credits will start appearing on consumer’s bills from tomorrow.

The automatic credit, which is inclusive of VAT, will be paid directly to over 2.2m domestic electricity accounts, including bill pay and pay-as-you-go customers.

The figure of €183.49 will appear on bills, but the Government has stressed that each domestic electricity account holder will get the benefit of the VAT-inclusive amount.

The credits will appear on bills from tomorrow and across the month into December, depending on a household’s electricity supplier and their billing cycle.

The second payment will start to be paid in January, appearing in bills into February, with the third payment first appearing in early March, and appearing in bills into April.

It is estimated that the total package of energy credits would equate to around 25% of the estimated annual bill for electricity for a typical household.

Protests planned 

However, figures involved in the Cost of Living Coalition are expected to announce details this week of more street rallies in Cork and Dublin in November, amid ongoing concerns over soaring energy costs in particular.

In a statement yesterday, the Department of the Environment said analysis from the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) shows that the roll-out of the first Government electricity credit in April and May resulted in a decline in the number of domestic electricity customers falling into arrears.

Minister for the Environment, Climate, and Communications, Eamon Ryan, said they know from research that this type of financial support is necessary, and that it does help.

“Everyone in Ireland is affected by the energy crisis and the rising cost of living,” he said.

The Government is acutely aware of the difficulties people are facing, in particular older people, people on lower incomes, young families, renters and many more.

“A €2.4bn package of supports was implemented earlier this year and a package of once-off measures worth €2.5bn was included in the Budget 2023.”

“We cannot cushion people completely from the impact of Russia’s war on Ukraine.

“However, analysis shows that the combination of universal measures and targeted measures introduced in the budget will help protect households, in particular those at greatest risk of energy poverty.”