SSE Airtricity increased its gas prices by 19.2% on Thursday 1 October 2026, affecting around 204,000 domestic gas customers across the greater Belfast and west gas network areas1. BBC News NI reported the rise as almost 19% for 200,000 domestic and small business customers, and said the annual gas bill of a typical household in those areas will increase by almost £1722. The company attributed the rise to "unprecedented levels of volatility in global energy markets and higher wholesale gas prices"2.
The same date brought increases from other suppliers. firmus energy raised its regulated gas tariffs by 8.98% for domestic and small business customers in the Ten Towns network area, a change affecting 77,000 customers and adding around £87 to a typical annual gas bill1. That follows a 15.65% firmus increase in July 20261. Share Energy raised its standard 24 hour electricity tariff by 12.6% from 1 October 2026, which BBC News NI said adds £129 a year to the typical bill of its 41,000 customers1.
Raymond Gormley, Head of Energy Policy at the Consumer Council, said the increase "has been driven by the continued volatility in wholesale energy costs, caused by geopolitics in the Middle East", and added: "I suspect some of the other unregulated suppliers may follow suit and increase their tariffs."2
"Today, SSE Airtricity announced an increase of 19.2% for gas customers, effective from 1 October 2026."
| Supplier and fuel | Increase | Effective | Typical bill effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSE Airtricity gas (greater Belfast and west) | 19.2% | 1 October 2026 | almost £172 a year1 |
| firmus energy gas (Ten Towns) | 8.98% | 1 October 2026 | around £87 a year1 |
| Share Energy electricity (24 hour standard) | 12.6% | 1 October 2026 | £129 a year1 |
Earlier in 2026, Power NI raised its residential electricity tariff by 6.2% from 1 July, SSE Airtricity raised electricity tariffs by 6.2% from 1 August, and Budget Energy raised variable electricity tariffs by 9.5% from 4 August1. Click Energy raised electricity tariffs by 9.5% and Share Energy by 26.4% from 1 April 2026, while firmus energy cut its Ten Towns gas tariffs by 10.10% from the same date1.
Why it matters for households
Gas and electricity are the two fuels most homes in Northern Ireland cannot substitute at short notice, so a 19.2% gas rise and a 12.6% electricity rise land directly on the same household budget in the same month. For a home on the greater Belfast or west gas network, the gas rise alone is close to £172 a year on a typical bill2. Two thirds of homes in Northern Ireland use home heating oil, and Consumer Council data cited by BBC News NI put 500 litres at around £560, more than twice the price of a year earlier2. That limits how far a household can offset a gas or electricity rise by switching fuel.
The Consumer Council has welcomed a Competition and Markets Authority Heating Oil Market Study, commissioned after heating oil prices rose sharply following the conflict in the Middle East1. A means-tested scheme offering a £100 voucher to some heating oil users opened for applications last month, jointly funded by Stormont and the UK government2.
What happens next
Households across Northern Ireland receive a one-off £63 reduction in electricity bills from October 2026, applied automatically without an application2. Bank payment customers have bills reduced automatically; pay-as-you-go customers receive £63 in credit when they top up their meter, and should not buy more than £112 of credit if they want the discount in one go, because meters take a maximum payment of £1752. The schemes are funded by the UK government2. No further supplier announcements beyond those above have been reported.