Firmus gas bills to rise again as 9% increase announced just three months after 15.7% hike

Households using Firmus Energy gas in parts of the Ballymena area are facing another increase in their energy costs this autumn, with the regulated tariff set to rise by 8.98% from 1 October.

The increase will add around £87 a year to the gas bill of a typical household customer and comes only three months after Firmus Energy’s regulated Ten Towns tariff increased by 15.7% in July.

For a typical customer, the latest change will take the estimated annual gas bill to around £1,060.

The Utility Regulator says the increase is being driven by sharply higher wholesale gas costs rather than supplier profit, pointing to continuing international uncertainty and instability in the Middle East.

Ballymena and Broughshane customers affected

The change applies to Firmus Energy Supply’s regulated domestic and small business customers in Northern Ireland’s Ten Towns gas network.

That network includes Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine, Limavady, Derry/Londonderry and Antrim, as well as a number of other towns and villages across Northern Ireland.

In total, the tariff review covers 76,863 Firmus Energy customers.

Greater Belfast customers also face increase

Firmus Energy is also increasing its tariff for customers in the Greater Belfast network, although that tariff is separate from the regulated Ten Towns tariff.

The Greater Belfast increase will be 12.5% from 8 October, which Firmus says will add around £12 a month to the average customer’s bill.

By comparison, the 8.98% Ten Towns increase takes effect from 1 October and amounts to approximately £7 extra per month for an average customer.

Sharleen Winning, Head of Regulation at Firmus Energy Supply, said:

“We cannot ignore the impact the situation in the Middle East is having on the cost of energy, and unfortunately this has left us with no option other than to increase our tariffs. We have held off for as long as we could in the hope of a resolution that would lead to a reduction in the global wholesale prices.”

She added:

“As Northern Ireland’s largest gas supplier by volume, we want to provide the best value possible to all our customers and we have demonstrated that when we are in a position to reduce tariffs, we do so without delay, and we hope to be able to do so again, once the global markets allow this.”

Leigh Greer, the Utility Regulator’s Head of Security of Supply and Markets Regulation, said:

“We recognise that another increase in energy bills will be deeply concerning for households and small businesses, particularly for those already under pressure from the wider cost of living.

“Following our detailed scrutiny of Firmus Energy Supply’s costs, the regulated gas tariff for domestic and small business customers will increase by 9%, or around £87 per year for a typical household customer.

“This increase is being driven by the sustained rise in the wholesale cost of gas, not by supplier profit. Wholesale costs are influenced by uncertainty in international markets and ongoing instability in the Middle East.”

Wholesale gas prices have doubled

According to the regulator, wholesale gas prices have doubled since the beginning of the Iranian conflict and are currently around £1.80 per therm.

Ms Greer added:

“The Iranian conflict has continued to affect global energy prices over the past six months. In recent weeks, the wholesale cost of gas has doubled since the conflict began and is currently around £1.80 a therm.”

The latest increase follows a volatile period for household energy prices.

Firmus Energy’s regulated Ten Towns gas tariff rose by 15.7% in July 2026. Before that, customers had benefited from seven consecutive reductions, including cuts of 10.1% in April 2026, 7.86% in October 2025, 11.84% in April 2025 and 15.6% in April 2024.

How Northern Ireland bills compare

Despite the latest increase, the Utility Regulator says typical combined regulated electricity and gas bills in Northern Ireland remain below comparable bills in Great Britain and Ireland.

From 1 October, a typical household using Power NI electricity and Firmus Energy gas in the Ten Towns network is estimated to pay £1,093 annually for electricity and £1,060 for gas — a combined £2,153.

For customers using Power NI electricity and SSE Airtricity gas in the Greater Belfast and West network, the equivalent combined figure is around £2,172.

The regulator’s comparison puts the equivalent typical annual electricity and gas cost at £2,265 in Great Britain and an estimated £2,726 in Ireland.

The figures are based on annual consumption of 3,200 kWh of electricity and 12,000 kWh of gas for a standard credit customer.

However, there is an important qualification to the comparison. The Great Britain figure already incorporates a recently announced VAT reduction and reductions in policy costs, while the Northern Ireland figures do not yet include energy bill reductions being finalised by the Department for the Economy.

The Department previously indicated the Northern Ireland reduction would amount to “over £50”, although the final amount and implementation details have yet to be confirmed.

The Utility Regulator said the combined regulated electricity and gas tariff in Northern Ireland is currently around 5% lower than the recently announced Great Britain price cap.

Consumer Council warns bills will top £2,000

The Consumer Council has warned that the latest increase will push typical annual heating and electricity costs for affected Firmus Energy customers above £2,000.

Raymond Gormley, Head of Energy Policy at the Consumer Council, said:

“This is the second tariff increase from firmus energy in the Ten Towns network within a couple of months and the first increase in the Greater Belfast network in a year. This will be very concerning news for firmus energy customers as their typical annual heating and electricity bills will now top £2,000.

“Global wholesale gas prices have increased significantly since March 2026 as a direct consequence of the ongoing Middle East conflict, and another rise on gas tariffs this autumn was inevitable due to the continued volatility of the energy markets. This will place even further pressure on household budgets.”

The Consumer Council said it works with the Utility Regulator and regulated suppliers to ensure support is available during price increases and that savings are passed on to customers when wholesale energy costs fall.

Mr Gormley urged anyone struggling to pay energy bills or top up their meter to contact their supplier directly for help.

Consumers can also access energy-saving advice, electricity and gas comparison tools and information about financial support through the Consumer Council at: www.consumercouncil.org.uk

Those without internet access, or who need additional help checking energy tariffs, can call 0800 121 6022 or email contact@consumercouncil.org.uk.

Customers urged to seek help early

With another increase arriving ahead of the colder months, the regulator is urging anyone concerned about meeting their energy costs to contact their supplier before debts build up.

Ms Greer said:

“Our message to customers is clear: if you are worried about paying for gas or electricity, please do not wait. Contact your supplier as soon as possible. Suppliers will work with customers to discuss payment options and the support available.

“Free and independent advice is also available from organisations including Advice NI, Christians Against Poverty, the Consumer Council and the Money and Pensions Service’s MoneyHelper.”

The Utility Regulator has published a guide for people concerned about energy debt here.

The Consumer Council also provides energy advice and an independent price comparison service to help households check whether savings may be available.

Explaining its role in approving regulated tariff changes, Ms Greer said:

“Our role is to protect consumers. We independently scrutinise the costs that make up regulated tariffs and challenge suppliers to ensure customers pay no more than is necessary. We only allow tariff changes where the evidence shows they are justified. As part of our regulation, regulated suppliers’ profits are capped at around 2%.”

The new Firmus Energy Ten Towns tariff takes effect on 1 October 2026, meaning affected households in the Ballymena and Broughshane area will enter the colder months paying more for gas than they did this summer, although typical combined regulated energy costs remain below the current comparisons published for Great Britain and Ireland.

Firmus customers seeking advice about their bills or Direct Debit payments can contact its locally based Customer Services team on 0330 024 9000 or customerservice@firmusenergy.co.uk.

Free independent energy-saving advice is available from the NI Energy Advice Line on 0800 111 4455.