Check BICS eligibility and lower electricity costs for your manufacturing business
Require Assistance?
If you are seeking guidance on how to effectively reduce your business electricity and gas costs, or require assistance with a business energy switch, please call our dedicated Customer Services team at 0800 781 7626. We assure you that calls will be answered promptly within three rings or less!
D-ENERGi can help you check eligibility for the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS) and find government support that could reduce electricity costs for your manufacturing site.
BICS is now open for applications, with a deadline of 30 November 2026. It is aimed at eligible manufacturing businesses in Great Britain. The government advises that savings could reach £40 per megawatt-hour — equivalent to 4p per kWh.
What is BICS?
BICS stands for the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme.
BICS provides relief from electricity charges associated with the Renewables Obligation, Feed-in Tariffs and Capacity Market.
This support is focused on electricity costs, it does not provide a gas discount.
Who is BICS for?
BICS is aimed at:
- Manufacturers in the Industrial Strategy growth sectors (IS-8)
- Manufacturers in the foundational industries that supply them
Where does BICS apply?
Great Britain only, as energy policy is largely devolved in Northern Ireland
BICS eligibility: do you qualify?
To be eligible, your business must be registered at Companies House, operate in an eligible sector, manufacture eligible products and use at least 33,000 kWh of grid electricity annually at the manufacturing site. Eligibility and the level of relief are assessed separately for each site.
Renewables Obligation and Feed-in Tariff relief starts in April 2027, with Capacity Market relief following in October 2027. These schemes support electricity costs; they do not provide a gas discount.
How much could your business save?
For example, 500,000 kWh of qualifying annual electricity consumption could mean savings of up to £20,000, using the government’s £40/MWh estimate. Actual savings depend on your approved exemption level, qualifying consumption and the charges covered.
Key BICS “Year One” timing
The relief starts in stages:
- Renewables Obligation & Feed-in Tariff relief: from April 2027
- Capacity Market relief: from October 2027
How does BICS differ from the EII Supercharger?
The British Industry Supercharger, often called the EII Supercharger, supports a more targeted group of the most electricity-intensive businesses, subject to separate eligibility requirements.
It offers broader electricity support: exemptions from the same policy costs covered by BICS, plus Contracts for Difference charges and up to 90% compensation for eligible electricity network charges. The government estimates total Supercharger support at approximately £65–£87/MWh, equivalent to 6.5p–8.7p/kWh. This is total scheme support, rather than an additional saving on top of existing relief.
Can you claim both?
If you already receive EII support, BICS may still be relevant to qualifying activities not covered by your existing exemption. The same activity cannot receive duplicate relief under both schemes.
Check your BICS eligibility now with D-ENERGi
Use the government’s BICS eligibility checker, then email us so we can discuss the next steps with you.
Information we’ll need
You will need your company number, manufacturing site postcodes, details of the products you manufacture and electricity consumption information.
If you are unsure where to start, reply with your company name and site details, and our team can help you understand the information required.
Deadline reminder
The checker is an initial assessment; you must submit a full government application by 30 November 2026 to be considered for the first year of support. Final eligibility is determined by the government.
