Every household across Ireland is poised to receive a swift €125 boost to help with living costs in the upcoming weeks, no strings attached and no paperwork required.
In a bid to offer some relief amid escalating financial strains, the energy credit scheme launched by the Government as part of Budget 2025 will deliver benefits to every electricity account holder in Ireland, which includes roughly 2.25 million homes.
€250 worth of energy credits awaits Irish residents, parcelled out in two servings. Minister for Public Expenditure, Paschal Donohoe spilled the details back in October, affirming: “Budget 2025 will include an energy credit of €250 for all households. This will be paid in two equal payments.”
The festive first installment of €125 was graciously given before Yuletide festivities, and presently, the concluding half is set to automatically grace electricity bills this very month.
Householders needn’t lift a finger; applications are not on the agenda – your electricity providers already have it all in hand. The boon is up for grabs for anyone with a domestic electricity account, including the pay-as-you-go crowd. What’s more, the scheme isn’t snooping around means tests.
Households got their first €125 off energy bills before Christmas, and the second will come off bills this month.
Households can expect to see a €125 credit on their electricity bills. The payment will be made to each domestic electricity account holder and will include VAT.
However, if your landlord is responsible for paying your electricity bill, it’s up to them to decide whether to pass on the savings. If a dispute arises, the Residential Tenancies Board will handle complaints from tenants who don’t receive the credit.
According to Government guidance for tenants: “The credit is designed to provide all domestic electricity account holders with a contribution to their electricity bills. In some cases, tenants in rented accommodation pay their landlord for their electricity (and do not have a domestic electricity account in their own name). The expectation, in those circumstances, is that landlords will pass on the credit to their tenants.
“The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications has partnered with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) to ensure that this is communicated widely across the rental sector, to landlords and tenants alike. Those using and ultimately paying for electricity (whether in their electricity bills or included in their rent payments) should be the beneficiaries of the Scheme.
“In the event of a dispute arising, tenants and landlords are encouraged to try and resolve the matter together first, by keeping lines of communication open. In the event that the dispute cannot be resolved between the parties, the matter may be referred to the RTB’s free mediation service, where an independent mediator helps both parties to come up with a solution that is mutually beneficial.
“Alternatively, the parties can apply for adjudication with the RTB, where an independent adjudicator makes a finding based on the evidence related to the case.”
All household electricity account holders will see the savings applied to them. For those with hardship prepay meters, the Government said of a previous payment: “The electricity credit will be applied over the course of three separate top-ups or vends, for customers using hardship prepay meters. These meters have a €300 credit limit, and the Government credit could put the meter over this limit.
“As a solution, the credit will be broken down into three smaller credits, which can be redeemed over the course of a few days – by the customer making a €10 payment towards their electricity bill. Customers will be advised only to pay €10 on each occasion to receive their credit, and to allow one day between each payment.”
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