Energy Credit Ireland 2027: Is There One in Budget 2027?
As of 12 September 2026, there is no universal energy credit planned for Budget 2027, which is due on Tuesday 6 October 2026. On 7 September 2026 the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, said of energy credits for everybody: “I can’t see the capacity being there to do that.” Budget 2026 contained no credit either, so the last one, a €125 instalment paid between January and February 2025, remains the most recent.
That matters because electricity prices are going up again in October 2026. This page tracks what has been said, what the past credits were worth, which targeted supports still exist, and what a household can actually do about the bill. We will update it on Budget day.
Last updated 12 September 2026
Fact-checked by John Rooney, Solar Energy Editor. Editorial policy
Quick Answer
No. As of 12 September 2026 the Government has ruled out a universal electricity credit in Budget 2027 (Tuesday 6 October 2026). The Taoiseach said on 7 September 2026 that he could not see the capacity for energy credits for everybody. The last credit was €250 in two €125 instalments between November 2024 and February 2025, and Budget 2026 had none. Targeted supports still exist: Fuel Allowance (€38 a week for 28 weeks), the Household Benefits Package electricity allowance (€1.15 a day) and the Additional Needs Payment.
Is there an energy credit in Budget 2027?
Status as of 12 September 2026
Not planned. Universal electricity credits have been ruled out ahead of Budget 2027 on Tuesday 6 October 2026. We will replace this paragraph on Budget day with whatever is actually announced.
Budget 2027 will be delivered by the Minister for Finance, Simon Harris, and the Minister for Public Expenditure, Jack Chambers, on Tuesday 6 October 2026. Mr Harris confirmed the date on 21 July 2026. Reporting on 5 September 2026 put the overall package at about €8.5 billion: €7 billion in additional spending and a €1.5 billion tax package.
On 7 September 2026 the Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, said the Government would not repeat the universal credits: “Every time you do a one-off payment, and so if you have a billion or two billion (euro) in one-off payments, you’re reducing your capacity to deal more substantively with issues that matter to people on an ongoing basis, not just on a one-off basis. So the sort of energy credits for everybody, I can’t see the capacity being there to do that.” He pointed to childcare and disability costs as the kind of ongoing measures the money would go to instead.
This is the second Budget in a row without a credit. Budget 2026, in October 2025, dropped them in favour of what Mr Harris called “a more targeted approach”, and the Government said at the time that universal one-off supports “were not sustainable”. Nothing reported since suggests a reversal, although Budget negotiations run right up to the day, so treat anything before 6 October as a strong signal rather than a certainty.
Every electricity credit paid so far
Between April 2022 and February 2025 every domestic electricity account in Ireland received €1,500 in credits across four rounds, applied automatically to bills by suppliers under the Electricity Costs Emergency Benefit Scheme, overseen by the CRU. The amounts shrank each year.
| Announced in | Credit | Total | When it appeared on bills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost-of-living package, early 2022 | 1 x €200 | €200 | On bills from April 2022 (€176.22 ex VAT line) |
| Budget 2023 | 3 x €200 | €600 | From 1 November 2022, January/February 2023 and March/April 2023 |
| Budget 2024 | 3 x €150 | €450 | December 2023, January 2024 and March 2024 |
| Budget 2025 | 2 x €125 | €250 | 1 November to 31 December 2024, and 1 January to 28 February 2025 |
| Budget 2026 (October 2025) | None | €0 | No universal credit |
| Budget 2027 (6 Oct 2026) | Ruled out (as of 12 September 2026) | €0 | See Budget-day update above |
Amounts include VAT, which is why the credit line on a bill showed a smaller ex-VAT figure (for example €114.68 for the €125 credit). Prepay customers received the same amounts through top-ups. Very low-usage accounts were excluded from the later rounds.
Targeted energy supports that do exist
The Government’s stated alternative to universal credits is targeting. These are the three schemes that help with electricity costs today. Figures are from citizensinformation.ie, checked on 12 September 2026.
Fuel Allowance
€38 a week for 28 weeks (€1064 a season)
Paid weekly or in two lump sums from late September to April. The 2025/26 season started on 22 September 2025 and was extended by four weeks to 1 May 2026 because of fuel costs. Open to people aged 66 or over who pass a means test (gross weekly income up to €534 single or €1,068 for a couple, first €50,000 of savings ignored) and to people under 66 on a qualifying payment. The 2026/27 start date had not been published on citizensinformation.ie when we checked on 12 September 2026.
Household Benefits Package
Electricity Allowance of €1.15 a day (about €35 a month)
Everyone aged 70 or over qualifies, with no means test and no need to be on a State pension. People aged 66 to 70 and some under 66 qualify through specific payments or a means test. You choose an electricity or gas allowance, paid on the first Tuesday of each month, and the package includes a free TV licence. Only one person per household can claim it.
Additional Needs Payment
No set amount; assessed case by case
A once-off payment for an essential expense you cannot meet from your weekly income, and citizensinformation.ie lists “an increase in your fuel or electricity costs” as an example. You do not need to be on a social welfare payment; people working on a low income can apply. A Community Welfare Officer assesses it. Apply on MyWelfare.ie or with form SWA1.
If you are over 66 and thinking about solar as a longer-term fix, our guide to SEAI grants for pensioners covers the grant and the Warmer Homes route for people on Fuel Allowance.
Electricity prices are rising in October 2026 anyway
The reason the credit question is live again is timing. Three of the four biggest suppliers have announced rises that land within a week of Budget day, and Pinergy moved in mid-September. Every figure below is verified on the supplier’s own site and tracked in full on our electricity price increases page.
| Effective | Supplier | What changes |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Oct 2026 | Energia | Electricity and gas prices rise by up to 9.4%. The new-customer 24-hour rate we track goes from 29.85c to 30.45c/kWh and the urban standing charge from €265.01 to €278.27. |
| 9 Oct 2026 | Bord Gáis Energy | Electricity rises around 9% (typical bill +8.8%). New-customer 24-hour rate 30.78c to 33.58c/kWh; urban standing charge €244.76 to €262.38. |
| 5 Oct 2026 | SSE Airtricity | Electricity rises around 9%. Top Discount 24-hour rate 28.79c to 31.50c/kWh; urban standing charge €263.86 to €280.01. |
| 14 Sep 2026 | Pinergy | Pinergy says a typical bill rises 7.6%. The 24-hour standard rate goes from 41.77c to 45.80c/kWh (up 9.6% on the unit rate) with the standing charge unchanged. The pay-as-you-go plan we track is priced at 10% off that standard rate. |
One thing going the other way: the PSO levy
From 1 Oct 2026 the CRU has cut the Public Service Obligation levy by 66%, to €0.51 a month for domestic customers (€6.67 a year including VAT, down from €19.10). It is charged by every supplier, so every household saves about €12 a year automatically. The same CRU decision adds about €41.25 a year in network charges, so the net effect of the regulator’s changes is still an increase.
What a household can do without a credit
A €125 credit was worth less than one month of a typical bill. The three moves below are each worth more than that, and none depend on Budget day.
1. Switch supplier: up to €681 a year
On the new-customer 24-hour plans we track, SSE Airtricity is currently cheapest at €1,473 a year for 4,200 kWh, against €2,154 on the dearest (Flogas). Standard out-of-contract rates sit well above both. Run your own usage through the electricity price comparison before the October rises land, and check the post-rise rates on the plan you are considering.
2. Bank the PSO cut: about €12 a year
Nothing to do here, but check that your bills from 1 Oct 2026 show the lower levy. It is set by the CRU, not your supplier, so it should fall on every tariff.
3. Solar panels with the SEAI grant
The SEAI solar grant is worth up to €1,800 and, unlike a credit, it is available now and does not need a Budget announcement. Solar is the one option that cuts the kWh you buy rather than the price you pay for them, which is what makes it a hedge against further rises. Pensioners and people on Fuel Allowance should read the pensioner grants guide first, since the free Warmer Homes route may apply.
Irish Electricity Price Changes 2026
Every announced change we have verified on the supplier's own site, newest first, with the date it takes effect. The rates on this page were last verified on 12 Sep 2026 and show the current price until each change lands.
- Energia
Electricity and gas prices rise by up to 9.4%. The new-customer 24-hour rate we track goes from 29.85c to 30.45c/kWh and the urban standing charge from €265.01 to €278.27. source
- Bord Gáis Energy
Electricity rises around 9% (typical bill +8.8%). New-customer 24-hour rate 30.78c to 33.58c/kWh; urban standing charge €244.76 to €262.38. source
- SSE Airtricity
Electricity rises around 9%. Top Discount 24-hour rate 28.79c to 31.50c/kWh; urban standing charge €263.86 to €280.01. source
- All suppliers
CRU-approved 2026/27 network charges add about €41.25 a year (€3.44 a month) to a typical domestic electricity bill after the regulator trimmed network revenue allowances by €138 million. Every supplier passes these charges through. source
- All suppliers
PSO levy cut by 66% for the 2026/27 levy year, to €0.51 a month for domestic customers (€6.12 a year ex-VAT, €6.67 inc VAT, down from €19.10). It is charged by every supplier, so it lowers every bill by the same amount. source
Full details of each rise, with before-and-after rates, are on the electricity price increases page. The underlying market is tracked daily on the wholesale electricity prices page. No universal energy credit is planned for Budget 2027 on 6 October: see what support exists instead.
Energy credit FAQ
Is there an energy credit in Budget 2027?
Not as things stand. On 7 September 2026 the Taoiseach said he could not see the capacity for energy credits for everybody in Budget 2027, which is on Tuesday 6 October 2026. This page will be updated on Budget day if that changes.
Was there an energy credit in 2026?
No. Budget 2026, delivered in October 2025, contained no universal electricity credit. The Government said one-off universal supports were not sustainable and moved to a targeted approach. The last credit instalment was €125, paid between 1 January and 28 February 2025.
How much were the electricity credits in total?
€1,500 per household across four rounds: €200 in April 2022, €600 (three €200 credits) from November 2022, €450 (three €150 credits) from December 2023, and €250 (two €125 credits) from November 2024. All amounts include VAT.
What help with electricity bills is available instead?
Fuel Allowance pays €38 a week for 28 weeks over winter to people aged 66 or over who pass a means test and to people under 66 on qualifying payments. The Household Benefits Package gives everyone aged 70 or over an electricity or gas allowance of €1.15 a day plus a free TV licence. The Additional Needs Payment can cover an increase in electricity costs for anyone who cannot meet it from their income, with no set amount.
Why are electricity prices going up in October 2026?
SSE Airtricity (5 October), Bord Gáis Energy (9 October) and Energia (12 October) have all announced rises of around 9%, following Pinergy on 14 September and Electric Ireland, Yuno and Flogas in July. The CRU is also adding about €41.25 a year in network charges from 1 October. The PSO levy is cut on the same date, but not by enough to offset the rest.
What is the best thing to do if there is no credit?
Switch supplier first: the gap between the cheapest (SSE Airtricity) and dearest (Flogas) new-customer plan at 4,200 kWh is about €681 a year, several times the value of a €125 credit. The PSO levy cut saves every household about €12 a year automatically from 1 October 2026. For a long-term fix, the SEAI solar grant of up to €1,800 is available now and does not depend on the Budget.
Sources
- RTÉ, 7 September 2026: Government rules out universal energy credits in Budget
- The Irish Times, 7 September 2026: Budget 2027 unlikely to see return of energy credits, says Taoiseach
- RTÉ, 21 July 2026: Minister confirms budget will be held on 6 October
- TheJournal.ie, 5 September 2026: everything we know so far about Budget 2027 (package size)
- RTÉ, 3 December 2025: energy credits scrapped in Budget 2026 despite advice
- gov.ie, 7 March 2022: €200 electricity credit on bills from April 2022
- gov.ie, 31 October 2022: first of three €200 credits from 1 November 2022
- citizensinformation.ie, Budget 2024: €450 in three €150 instalments
- citizensinformation.ie, Electricity Account Credit: €250 in two €125 instalments, 2024/25
- citizensinformation.ie, Fuel Allowance (page edited 27 August 2026)
- citizensinformation.ie, Household Benefits Package (page edited 16 April 2026)
- citizensinformation.ie, Additional Needs Payment (page edited 30 July 2026)
- CRU: 2026/27 network charges and reduced PSO levy from 1 October 2026
Supplier price rises and annual bill estimates come from our tariff dataset, verified against each supplier’s own pricing page. Checked 12 September 2026.
Related Guides
Electricity Price Increases
Every announced Irish supplier price rise: dates, new rates and what a typical home pays extra.
Electricity Price Comparison
Every supplier priced on your usage, with bill and smart meter upload and a solar what-if.
Cheapest Electricity
Unit rates, standing charges and annual bills for every Irish supplier.
SEAI Solar Grants
Grants up to €1,800, eligibility, and how to apply.
John Rooney is the editor of Solar Info and has been covering the Irish solar energy market since 2023. He fact-checks all content against official SEAI data and maintains relationships with SEAI-registered installers across Ireland.
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