NI Your home energy checklist
National Energy Action is the national charity helping you with energy bills. This leaflet, designed for households in Northern Ireland, will guide you through the financial help available and practical steps you can take to help keep your home feeling warmer and your energy more affordable.
✔ Speak to your energy supplier
✔ Take regular meter readings
✔ Priority services register
✔ Staying safe at home
✔ Don’t miss out on money you are entitled to
✔ Energy discounts and payments
✔ Energy efficiency
✔ Moving home and your energy
✔ What to do if your energy supplier goes out of business
✔ Useful resources and helplines
Speak to your supplier
If you are struggling to keep on top of your energy bills, or you are starting to fall behind on payments and getting into debt, it is really important to speak to your supplier as soon as possible. They will be able to check whether you are on the best deal, talk to you about your energy use and let you know about any schemes or support they might have available to help.
If you are in debt with your energy supplier they can set you up with a payment plan that takes into consideration your individual circumstances and ability to pay. The sooner you contact them the quicker they can help you.
Take regular meter readings
There are different types of meters, depending on how you pay for your electricity or gas. If you have a credit meter and receive a bill you will be asked to submit meter readings for electricity and gas.
If you receive a bill and it has an ‘E’ marked against the meter reading, this means it has been estimated by your supplier and may not be accurate. Estimated readings can lead to large, unexpected bills so you should regularly submit accurate readings.
Meters are read from left to right. Don’t include any red numbers or numbers that are in a red box.
Top tip: take a photo of your meter to record an exact reading.
The Priority Services Register (PSR)
Energy suppliers
All energy suppliers in Northern Ireland have a Customer Care Register. They offer various support services for vulnerable customers, including if you:
- are of pensionable age;
- are disabled or chronically sick;
- have a hearing or visual impairment or additional communication needs.
A wide range of support is available. Contact your energy supplier to register and find out what support they can provide.
District Network Operator
For anyone relying on electricity for healthcare needs, they can join Northern Ireland Electricity Networks (NIEN) Medical Customer Care Register to get extra support during a power cut.
If you have medical equipment in your home, such as a ventilator, specialised mattresses, feeding systems or lifting equipment, you can register to receive up-to-date information by phone during a power cut or a planned interruption to your supply. Visit www.nienetworks.co.uk/help-advice/vulnerable-customers/customer-care-register.
Stay safe at home
Carbon monoxide is a deadly gas that cannot be seen, smelt, or tasted. The common signs of carbon monoxide are:
- Gas flames burning orange or yellow instead of blue
- Soot stains on or above the appliance
- Coal or wood fires that burn slowly or go out
If you’re a homeowner you may be eligible for a free annual gas safety inspection on gas heating and appliances. Check with your provider for eligibility. The safety check is not a substitute for having your gas appliances serviced regularly.
If you smell gas or you are worried about gas safety, phone the 24-hour Northern Ireland Gas Emergency Service on 0800 002 001.
Don’t miss out on money
Make sure you are claiming all the benefits you are entitled to. This could increase your income and make you eligible for other types of assistance. It is a common myth that you must be out of work to be eligible but there are lots of in-work benefits too, so it is worth doing a check online – it only takes around 10 minutes to check www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators.
If you would like extra support with checking your entitlement or making a claim, the following organisations can help:
Advice NI
Advice helpline: 0800 915 4604
Email: advice@adviceni.net
Make the Call
The service makes sure you’re getting all the benefits, services
and supports you’re entitled to.
Tel: 0800 232 1271
Email: makethecall@dfcni.gov.uk
NI – Finance Support Service
If you have a financial crisis you can apply for Discretionary Support or a Short-Term Benefit Advance. For further information on what this support can help with go to www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/finance-support.
Call charges
0800 and 0808 numbers are free from landlines and mobiles. Standard rates apply for 01, 02 and 03 numbers (typically 9p-13p per minute from landlines and 3p-55p from mobiles depending on your network). They’re usually included in free call packages. See www.gov.uk/call-charges.
Energy discounts and payments
Winter Fuel Payment
The Winter Fuel Payment for 2025 to 2026 will be made to everyone in Northern Ireland born before 22 September 1959, unless you choose not to get it.
You could get between £100 and £300 to help you pay your winter heating bills. You do not need to do anything – payments will be made automatically.
You won’t be sent a text or email asking for your bank details.
If your income is over £35,000, your Winter Fuel Payment will be recovered later through HMRC.
Further information is available on www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment.
Phone: 0800 731 0160
Cold Weather Payment
Some households could be eligible for a Cold Weather Payment of £25 per qualifying week. This is paid automatically to those on certain benefits when the average temperature in their area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below for seven consecutive days. You’ll get £25 for each seven-day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March.
Energy efficiency
The more efficiently you use energy, the less you need to use to keep warm, safe and healthy at home. Contact NEA NI for our leaflets, including energy saving tips. Email northern.ireland@nea.org.uk.
You may be eligible for free or discounted insulation or heating measures. Contact NI Energy Advice. They offer free, independent and impartial energy advice to domestic householders in NI – including advice about energy grants and other sources of help.
Freephone: 0800 111 4455
Email: nienergyadvice@nihe.gov.uk
Website: www.nihe.gov.uk/Community/NI-Energy-Advice
Making your home as energy efficient as possible is the best way to reduce your costs and keep your home feeling warmer. There are some low-cost, quick-win actions you can take yourself such as:
- Draught-proof doors and windows – get products at your local DIY store.
- Radiator reflectors can help direct more of the heat into the room.
- Close curtains at dusk to keep more heat in.
If you rent your home in Northern Ireland, landlords have specific responsibilities to ensure rented properties are safe, habitable and meet legal standards. This includes providing a Tenancy Information Notice, ensuring gas and electrical safety, and registering with the Landlord Registration Scheme.
If you’re worried your home is not safe and the landlord hasn’t dealt with your concerns, you can contact an environmental health officer in the local council: www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/local-councils-in-northern-ireland.
Moving home and your energy
Moving in
Who supplies my electricity?
Call NIE Networks on 03457 643 643; you may need the MPRN (17-digit number) found on an electricity bill. To stay with the current supplier, contact them with a new meter reading to avoid being charged
for previous usage.
Who supplies my gas?
Check a gas bill or top-up receipt. You can also contact your local
network operator:
- Greater Belfast/Larne: Phoenix Energy – 03454 55 55 55
- Ten Towns area: firmus energy – 0330 024 9000
- Gas to the West area: SGN Natural Gas – 0800 975 7774
Want to switch supplier? Visit www.consumercouncil.org.uk for the best deals.
Moving out
Let your supplier know at least two working days before moving to avoid extra charges. Provide:
- Your account number (on your bill)
- Your MPRN/GPRN (17-digit number, also on your bill)
- The date you’re moving out
- Final meter reading on the day you move – take a photo
- Forwarding address (for your final bill or any refund)
Let your landlord or new occupant know:
- If you’re renting or selling, inform your landlord or the new occupant that you’ve closed the account.
- They will need to register with their chosen supplier using the property’s MPRN.
What to do if your energy supplier goes out of business
If your energy supplier goes out of business, the regulator Utility Regulator for Northern Ireland will automatically move you to a new supplier within a few weeks. Don’t try to make any changes to your energy supply until your account is moved to a new supplier. You might find it harder to get any money you’re owed if you switch before this happens. Wait for your new supplier to contact you.
In the meantime:
- Take regular meter readings and a photo of them if you can.
- Keep any old bills you have – these can help prove your payment history, credit balance or debt.
- Download any bills from your app if you have an online-only account.
- Make a note of your account balance – you’ll find this on your most recent statement.
Your new supplier will write to tell you when your new account has been set up. You should contact your new supplier if you don’t hear from them within two weeks.
Your new supplier will write to tell you when your new account has been set up. You should contact your new supplier if you don’t hear from them within two weeks. Your new supplier will also put you on a new tariff so speak to them to make sure it’s their cheapest deal. You can switch without paying an exit fee if you’re not happy with your new supplier or tariff.
For more information, visit:
Utility Regulator for Northern Ireland
Website: www.uregni.gov.uk
Consumer Council for Northern Ireland
Website: www.consumercouncil.org.uk
Useful resources and helplines
Below you can find a list of the organisations mentioned throughout the leaflet and some other organisations that might be able to help you:
Consumer
CONSUMER COUNCIL NORTHERN IRELAND (CCNI) is the statutory consumer body for Northern Ireland. CCNI provides advice and information, investigate and resolve complaints, and advocate on your behalf. CCNI publishes up-to-date energy comparison tables and has a price comparison tool. Visit www.consumercouncil.org.uk.
Phone: 028 9025 1600
Email: info@consumercouncil.org.uk
Benefit and debt advice
Make sure you are claiming the correct benefits. This could increase your income as well as make you eligible for other types of assistance. Take advice from the following organisations:
ADVICE NI provides benefit and debt advice
Advice helpline: 0800 915 4604
Email: advice@adviceni.net
MAKE THE CALL SERVICE makes sure you’re getting all the benefits, services and supports you’re entitled to.
Phone: 0800 232 1271
Email: makethecall@dfcni.gov.uk
Energy efficiency
NI ENERGY ADVICE offers free impartial advice to domestic householders about insulation and heating
schemes and other sources of help.
Freephone: 0800 111 4455
Email: nienergyadvice@nihe.gov.uk
Website: www.nihe.gov.uk/Community/NI-Energy-Advice
ENERGY SAVING TRUST offers guidance on ways to save energy around the home. Visit their website: www.energysavingtrust.org.uk.
Lightning Reach
The secure Lightning Reach portal allows you to find and apply for support from multiple providers, quickly and easily. Visit www.lightningreach.org.
Emergency food and crisis support
To access a local food bank you may need a referral from a local advice organisation, your doctor or health visitor, social services or your housing officer.
They will give you a voucher that you can swap for food at the foodbank. To find out where to get food vouchers and nearest food banks visit www.trussell.org.uk/emergency-food/get-a-food-voucher.
Smart phones apps like OLIO and TooGoodToGo will let you know when food is being sold at low cost near to you.
Home heating oil
Oil differs from natural gas and electricity and is usually delivered in bulk. There are many payment methods, and a large number of suppliers provide flexible savings plans. Check with your supplier on what methods are available.
You can get more information from the Consumer Council on weekly changes in the price of home heating oil:
www.consumercouncil.org.uk/homeheatingoilpricechecker/tool
NIHE Oil Savings Network
Why not join the NI Housing Executive’s (NIHE) Oil Savings Network?
You can enjoy member discounts if the NIHE Oil Savings Network has a registered supplier to cover your postcode. You can check with their team at NIenergyadvice@nihe.gov.uk.
Safety
IF YOU SMELL GAS, want to report a gas leak or require gas emergency services, there’s a free, 24-hour Gas Emergency Helpline you can call 0800 002 001.
If you have a power cut or a safety concern with a meter, cables or other equipment leading into the home, then contact Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE) Networks on their emergency telephone number: 03457 643 643.