GB manufacturers can apply for electricity bill relief until 30 November

Who this is for: manufacturing companies in England, Scotland and Wales. The British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS) opened on 1 October 2026 and closes at 11:59pm on 30 November 2026. The applicant guidance was updated on 12 October. Northern Ireland is outside this scheme; its Executive may develop equivalent support separately.

What the relief covers

Successful applicants will be exempt from indirect electricity costs associated with the Renewables Obligation and Feed-in Tariffs from April 2027, and the Capacity Market from October 2027. The government describes potential bill savings of up to 25%. That is an upper estimate, not a fixed discount: the actual percentage depends on the company’s electricity price. An additional lump sum, equivalent to roughly a year of relief, is also planned for eligible firms that apply in 2026. Further details are pending.

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Four eligibility tests

1. The business must be registered at Companies House. An unincorporated sole trader cannot meet this test.
2. Its manufacturing activity must fall within an eligible sector, with a qualifying SIC code recorded at Companies House.
3. The Great Britain site must manufacture eligible products identified by six-digit HS codes.
4. The site must use at least 33 MWh of grid electricity annually. Evidence must show more than 16.5 MWh over six consecutive months.

Manufacturing alone is insufficient: sector, product and electricity use must all qualify. The official guidance links to an eligibility checker and the code lists.

What to do now

Prepare the company number, site details and MPANs, six consecutive months of electricity bills from the last 12 months, product evidence, and the relevant SIC and HS codes. A company officer or authorised representative must apply; GOV.UK One Login and the Companies House authentication code may be needed. An application cannot be amended after submission.

1. Read the official BICS guidance and use its eligibility checker.
2. Check the Companies House SIC code reflects actual activity, and compare products with the eligible HS list. Do not change a SIC code merely to claim relief.
3. Gather bills and production evidence for each site.
4. Apply via the official application service by 11:59pm on 30 November. Eligibility decisions are expected in early 2027.

Note: the guidance says the scheme remains subject to the relevant legislation coming into force. Checked against GOV.UK guidance and the government announcement on 14 October 2026.