Manufacturers urged to check eligibility for support with electricity costs

Stockport-based IN Accountancy is urging businesses to assess their eligibility for an upcoming government scheme to support them with high electricity costs.

The British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS) is set to begin in April 2027 to support manufacturers across Great Britain with high electricity costs. With more than 10,000 businesses set to be supported, it has a broader scope than previous schemes, and IN Accountancy and Cowgills (which acquired the Stockport firm earlier this year), are encouraging businesses to assess their eligibility ahead of the first-year submission window in October.

From 2027, BICS will reduce electricity costs by £35-40 per megawatt hour for manufacturing frontier industries within the Industrial Strategy’s growth sectors, as well as foundational manufacturing industries with high electricity usage. BICS will exempt eligible businesses from paying the indirect costs of the feed-in tariff, renewables obligation and capacity market, and can lead to savings of up to 25%.

Applications for BICS will open on 1 October 2026 and close on 30 November 2026. Businesses accepted into the first year of the scheme are expected to receive a one-off retrospective payment, reflecting the support they would have received had BICS been in operation from April 2026, alongside relief from April 2027.

Although applications do not open until October 2026, businesses should begin preparing now.

Key areas to review include:

• Whether the company’s SIC4 code is eligible.
• Whether manufactured products fall within the qualifying HS6 code list.
• Site-level electricity consumption.
• Metering arrangements and MPAN information.
• The proportion of electricity used for qualifying manufacturing.
• Whether electricity is supplied directly or through a landlord, industrial estate or private network.

Businesses supplied through landlord or private network arrangements may still qualify, but additional evidence may be required to demonstrate qualifying electricity consumption and the associated costs.

For additional information about eligibility and applying for BICS support ahead of the October 2026 submission window, contact Paul Hammond.