British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS) Support

Understanding BICS eligibility

BICS offers eligible UK manufacturers the opportunity to reduce electricity costs by up to 25%, based on Government estimates. However, eligibility depends on several factors, including your manufacturing activities, products and electricity consumption.

McGrady Clarke supports you throughout the process, from assessing eligibility and reviewing site electricity consumption to preparing the information and evidence required for your application. We also provide ongoing support to help you maintain the exemption once it is in place.

What is the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS)?

The British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS) is a government scheme that supports eligible UK manufacturers by reducing electricity costs by removing a proportion of non-energy costs (NECs) from their bills.

In practice, this includes relief from policy-related charges such as:

Renewables Obligation (RO)
Contracts for Difference (CfD)
Feed-in Tariffs (FiT)
Capacity Market costs

Which sectors are eligible for BICS?

Eligible sectors are split into two primary categories of manufacturing:

IS-8 Frontier Industries:

Manufacturing businesses operating within the designated growth-driving sectors of the government’s Modern Industrial Strategy (often referred to as the IS-8 sectors).

Foundational Manufacturing Industries:

Manufacturing industries that supply critical inputs to the frontier sectors.

Am I eligible for BICS?

To be eligible for BICS, a business must be registered on Companies House and meet a range of eligibility criteria, including:

Operating within an eligible sector, determined by Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes

Manufacturing an eligible product, determined through Harmonised System (HS) codes

Meeting the required minimum level of electricity consumption

Carrying out qualifying operational activities

Providing the necessary supporting evidence

As eligibility depends on several factors, a detailed review is often required to confidently determine whether a business qualifies.

What evidence do I need for a BICS application?

Applicants will need evidence covering their business, manufacturing activities and electricity consumption. This can include electricity bills, MPAN details, production records and evidence supporting how much grid electricity is used for eligible manufacturing activities.

What are the key dates for BICS?

The key dates for BICS are:

1/10/2026 – Application window opens
30/11/2026 – Application window closes
Early 2027 – Businesses receive confirmation of their eligibility decision
April 2027 – Exemption from paying the indirect costs of the RO and FiT starts
October 2027 – Exemption from paying the indirect costs of the CM (in addition to RO and FiT) start

These dates apply to the first year of the scheme only.

How much BICS relief could a site receive?

The level of relief depends on the proportion of the site’s grid electricity used for eligible manufacturing and related supporting activities.

Cut your electricity costs by up to 25%

Understanding BICS eligibility

Unsure if your business qualifies for BICS?

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