Helping you to understand, manage and pay your energy bills

This helpful information hub should tell you everything you need to know about managing your energy usage, understanding, and paying your bill.

Contained within this section:

• Do you need support paying bills?
• Why are energy prices so high
• Understanding your bill
• Ensuring your bill is accurate and up to date
• Are you on the right plan?
• Energy saving tips
• Make a payment
• Concerns about paying your bill?
• Energy Support Fund

Need support with paying bills?

If you're worried about paying your current or future energy bills, we can help.

Learn more

Why are energy prices so high?

There has been exceptional volatility in the energy market since late 2021. A complex set of factors has contributed to this, including an increase in demand for energy post-pandemic, dramatically reduced gas supplies from Russia following its invasion of Ukraine and the disruption of key supply chains including the closure of the Nordstream I & II gas pipelines. This has led to significantly higher wholesale energy prices and as a result the cost of energy for consumers globally.

While wholesale gas prices have been falling recently, prices are still higher than historic norms and are not back to where they were pre-2021. As we buy on future markets (up to 24 months in advance), both increases and decreases take time to be passed on.

Energy crisis explained

Understanding your bill

We've lots of information in our Help section on understanding your bill. 

Here's a handy guide to understanding your gas bill and electricity bill.

Electricity bills explained

Gas bills explained

Ensuring your bill is accurate and up to date

Submitting regular meter reads improves the accuracy of your bills and ensures you only pay for what you use. Knowing when to submit the meter reading and how to submit a reading is an important part of this. 

Within ten days before your next bill issue date is a good time to submit a read. If the read is submitted during this time and is accepted by ESB Networks and/or Gas Networks Ireland, it will be used on your next bill. 

Our handy animations below will show you how to read your meter.

How to read your electricity meter

How to read your gas meter

Are you on the right plan?

Whether you’re working from home or just spending more time at home in winter, it’s natural for your energy usage to increase at this time of year. We know energy prices are high right now, so we want to help you reduce the amount of energy you use and keep your bills more manageable.

• Energy needs are changing and how we understand and manage our energy consumption will empower us to best suit our individual needs. From smart, EV and green plans to retrofitting your home, we can help you find the right plan.
• Has your usage changed? You can compare your gas and electricity usage on your online account. Sign in or register.
• Check out our smart home products and services, which can help you save energy and money by intuitively controlling your usage.

Find a plan

Energy saving tips

We’ve lots of great energy saving tips on how to reduce your energy usage and reduce your costs where possible. In the link below we’ve covered general energy savings tips for your home, as well as some ideas for smart products and upgrading your home. 

Learn more

Make a payment

Did you know that you can set up your Direct Debit or change your bank details in your online account? If Direct Debit is not your preferred payment method, then paying your bill has never been easier. Sign in to your online account or use Pay Now to make a safe and secure payment. 

If you are an electricity Pay as you Go customer, you can now top up online too.

Concerns about paying your bill?

We appreciate that these are difficult and uncertain times. If you're worried about paying your bill, please get in touch with us straight away. We’ve a range of flexible options, such as:

• Moving to Level Pay (spread your payments evenly over 12 months)
• Setting up scheduled payments (a recurring payment on a weekly or monthly basis, in addition to your existing payment method)
• Installing a Pay As You Go meter
• Setting up a payment plan

We offer a Special Services Register for gas and electricity customers who are particularly vulnerable to disconnection during the winter months, such as customers who have a disability, or those who are over 66 and living alone. If you wish to register for special services, please fill out our online form. 

We also offer a Priority Services Register for electricity customers who are critically dependent on electrically-powered equipment, which may include life-protecting devices, assistive technologies, to support independent living and medical equipment. If you wish to register for priority services, please fill out our online form.

Contact us for more information on the above options. 

Customers can also contact the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), who provide information and assist customers with putting budget plans in place. MABS is a national, free, independent, confidential, and non-judgemental service for people in debt or at risk of getting into debt and it is funded by the Department of Social Protection. View their website for further information.

If you receive Social Welfare payments, you can spread the cost of your energy bills by paying regular amounts towards your bills. The money is then deducted from your weekly Social Welfare payment. You can avail of this through An Post’s Household Budget Scheme.

Certain social welfare and state pension recipients may also be entitled to the government's Fuel Allowance. A Fuel Allowance is a means-tested payment to help with the cost of heating your home during the winter months. You can get the Fuel Allowance if you're getting a long-term social welfare payment and are unable to provide for your heating needs from your own resources. The Fuel Allowance season normally begins in late September of each year and ends in April. See gov.ie for more information.

Energy Support Fund

We’ve a range of supports and services available for customers who need it. Over the years, we've worked closely with the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) and St. Vincent de Paul (SVP) who already provide a range of options that can help.

Following engagement with both partners, Bord Gáis Energy established a €1.25 million energy support fund in April to assist customers struggling to meet their payments. In addition, we’re now committing 10% of operational profits to the fund during the energy crisis. We’re also now working with Focus Ireland to widen access to the fund, so that we can help as many customers as possible.

The fund provides targeted help to those customers who need it most. Through their normal assessment channels, St. Vincent de Paul, MABS and Focus Ireland will determine the appropriate supports for customers, including whether a customer is eligible for access to this fund, and they will help customers access this fund to pay their bills. Please contact St. Vincent de Paul, MABs or Focus Ireland if you would like to discuss accessing our Energy Support Fund to help pay your bill.