Power NI has confirmed it will continue its support for the Northern Ireland Consumer Energy Charters, joining the Consumer Council NI, the Utility Regulator and other electricity and gas suppliers in backing the initiative for a fourth consecutive winter.

The collaborative project, first introduced in 2022, has relaunched for 2025/26 with strengthened protections for domestic customers and enhanced measures for small businesses.

By signing the 2025/26 Consumer Energy Charters, suppliers have committed to a series of actions designed to support consumers through the colder months. These include:

• Contributing to an external hardship fund to support customers struggling to pay their bills by the end of March 2026.

• Ensuring no domestic customer is switched to a pre-payment meter without their consent between 1 December 2025 and 31 January 2026, unless they request it.

-- Advertisement --

• Making sure new debt-repayment plans using pre-payment meters do not exceed 20%, unless requested otherwise, and offering those currently on the maximum 40% rate the option to move to 20%.

• Ensuring customers on care registers are not moved to pre-payment meters unless they request it and are fully informed of the pros and cons.

• Providing enhanced aftercare for customers moved to pre-payment meters for debt recovery, including a one-month follow-up to confirm repayment remains manageable.

• Informing customers in financial difficulty of the tariffs most suited to their needs and signposting them to independent support organisations such as the Consumer Council, Advice NI and NI Direct’s 'Make the Call' service.

• Continuing to assess customers’ ability to pay and adjusting repayment rates or extending timeframes where appropriate.

• Offering practical energy-efficiency advice to help consumers reduce costs.

Alongside the domestic charter, the Small Business Energy Charter is returning for its second year, focusing on improving early engagement and building trust between suppliers and small-business customers. This includes commitments to empathetic communication, staff training on the challenges faced by small firms, maintaining up-to-date online support and FAQs, and discussing tariff or repayment options where contractual terms allow.

Power NI said it is "delighted" to play its part in the cross-sector initiative as Northern Ireland prepares for another winter of heightened energy pressures.