Cost of living: Firmus Energy raises Belfast gas price nearly 25%

The gas firm Firmus Energy has announced a 24.54% rise in prices for its gas customers in the Belfast area.

The price hike will take effect from 1 July, meaning the average gas bill will rise by about £300 per year, according to the Consumer Council.

It will apply to about 49,000 domestic and small business gas customers.

It is the company's fifth price rise since April 2021, including a 37% increase for greater Belfast which took effect on 3 May.

The two most recent rises combined mean about £660 has been added to the average bill.

Firmus Energy said it had "no choice" but to raise its tariffs because of the sustained increases in the cost of wholesale gas.

"Energy prices have increased across the board with similar rises in the cost of home heating oil, coal and electricity," The company's interim managing director Niall Martindale said.

"We know this is not welcome, however, tariffs are set as a direct consequence of prices on the global market and are completely beyond our control.

"We are committed to reducing tariffs as soon as the market crisis subsides and enables us to do so," he added.

Firmus has separate tariffs for customers in its Ten Towns network but those households have also faced significant price rises in recent months.

Several other local companies have raised their prices in recent weeks due to the worldwide hike in wholesale energy costs.

Last week, SSE Airtricity announced a 42.7% increase in gas prices from 1 July.

That move is set to affect 186,000 customers in Northern Ireland and it came on top of a 33% hike in SSE's electricity prices which came into effect on 1 June.

On Tuesday, the Consumer Council's head of energy policy, Raymond Gormley, warned of a "miserable" winter ahead as a result of the latest round of price hikes.

"Every one of the frequent energy price increases has meant a growing number of people being really badly impacted and we know from working with consumers that many are having to choose specific days and times when they can heat their homes and put on their lights," he said.

"High prices will make the coming winter miserable for many and life threatening for some without the introduction of significant support for consumers."

Mr Gormley added: "These increases, mainly due to the sustained high price of wholesale gas, follow well-publicised rises in home heating oil, coal, electricity, grocery, and transport fuel costs.

"This is particularly bad news for consumers in vulnerable situations and low-income households. It also means a wider group of households than before are having their budgets stretched ever further."

"We urge anyone who is struggling to pay their energy bills or top-up their meters to contact their supplier directly for help and support."