Northern Ireland energy bills rise as gas prices jump by up to £172 a year

Households across Northern Ireland are facing higher costs after gas and electricity suppliers increased their tariffs. The region’s largest natural gas provider, SSE Airtricity, raised prices by almost 19% for 200,000 domestic and small business customers.

For a typical household in the greater Belfast and west gas network areas, the increase means almost £172 more a year. The company attributed the decision to unprecedented volatility in global energy markets and higher wholesale gas prices.

Share Energy has also increased electricity prices by 12.6%. The rise will add about £129 a year to a typical bill for its 41,000 customers, although households across Northern Ireland will receive a one-off £63 reduction in electricity bills this month.

New tariffs for the Ten Towns network

Firmus energy announced an 8.98% gas price increase for 77,000 domestic and small business customers in the Ten Towns network area. From 1 October, a typical annual bill there will rise by about £87, following a 15.65% increase in July 2026.

Raymond Gormley, head of energy policy at the Consumer Council, linked the increases to continued volatility in wholesale energy costs caused by geopolitics in the Middle East. He said other unregulated suppliers could also raise their tariffs.

Rising costs for vulnerable households

Residents in Belfast said they were cutting spending elsewhere to pay for heating. Nuala Hyde, manager of Woodstock Library, said more people were using free activities and that some stayed at the library to keep warm, use computers and remain there until closing.

Naomi Campbell, an urgent hospice care nurse for Marie Curie, said patients with terminal illnesses have much higher energy needs because of heating requirements, altered sleeping patterns and essential medical devices. She said some patients had declined services that could improve their quality of life because they could not afford their electricity bills.

Marie Curie has called for a social tariff for people with terminal illnesses. Campbell also cited hospital travel costs and said support for these patients remains limited.

Student Ryan McStay said his Firmus energy bills would rise by 12.5%. He described the increase as shocking and said the cost of living in Northern Ireland had led him to plan a move abroad after university.