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BICS is a new government scheme that will cut electricity bills for UK manufacturers. If your business makes products and each site uses at least 33 MWh of grid electricity a year, the government expects BICS to save around £35 to £40 for every MWh you use. The scheme has moved past the consultation stage and is now being implemented. BICS starts in 2027, but you will need to apply in 2026, so it is worth understanding now. This article explains what BICS is, who can benefit, and what to do to get ready.

When do BICS applications close?

The application window is open now, and it shuts at 11 on Monday 30 November 2026. You can't amend an application once it's submitted, so check every detail before you send it, and don't assume there'll be another chance before the scheme starts in April 2027.

  • Applications close: 11 on 30 November 2026
  • Decisions: expected in early 2027
  • RO and FiT exemption: from 1 April 2027
  • Capacity Market exemption: from October 2027

To qualify, your business must be registered on Companies House with an eligible SIC code, and it must make eligible products in Great Britain. Each site needs to use at least 33 MWh of grid electricity a year, shown by more than 16.5 MWh over six consecutive months of bills from the last 12 months. Have those bills and the MPAN for each site to hand before you start.

British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BIC)

What BICS does

BICS stands for the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme. In plain terms, it takes some of the extra charges off your electricity bill. Every unit of power a business buys has a few government charges added on top of the energy itself. BICS removes three of them for firms that qualify: the Renewables Obligation, the Feed-in Tariff and the Capacity Market. Take those charges away and the bill comes down.The Renewables Obligation and Feed-in Tariff exemptions start on 1 April 2027, and the Capacity Market exemption follows in October 2027. The scheme also counts electricity used from April 2026 through a backdated payment, so the savings start a year before the scheme does.

How much you could save

The government expects the saving to be around £35 to £40 for every MWh of electricity you use. For most sites that removes almost all three charges, which comes to roughly a quarter off the total bill. For a mid-sized manufacturer that can add up to tens of thousands of pounds a year, and for the biggest power users, far more.

Who can benefit

Three things decide it, and they are checked together.

In short, you need to use enough electricity, be in the right kind of business, and make the right kind of products. A lot of people think their SIC code alone settles it. It does not. The check looks at your SIC code and your HS codes together, so a business that assumes it is in, or out, can easily be wrong. If you are unsure whether you qualify, it is worth having someone check.

The dates that matter

The scheme starts in 2027, but the part that needs your attention comes sooner.

You can only apply during a short window in late 2026. Applications opened on 1 October 2026 and close at 11 on 30 November 2026, so you have just a two-month period. You should receive a response in January 2027, and the scheme itself begins on 1 April 2027. Because the window is short and closes long before the scheme starts, anyone still gathering paperwork in late November will be in a rush.

How to get ready

None of this is difficult, but it is much easier if you start early. A few simple steps will put you in a good position:

You can find your MPAN here.

Apply before the window closes

A few details of BICS are still being finalised, so some information may change. That is a reason to start early, not a reason to wait. Businesses that prepare early will be in the best position. They'll already know whether they qualify, what they need to send, and what to do next. If that is not clear for your site yet, now is a good time to find out.

If you want to know more about BICS, you can contact Purely Energy. For more information contact us on 0161 521 3400 or info@purelyenergy.co.uk