Full disclosure: BICS eligibility and application support is a core service at InnoFund. You can find details of that service here (that’s the sale bit done).

But even if we never hear from you on this, as a manufacturing business owner, here’s why you shouldn’t sleep on this benefit.

Running a manufacturing business gives you plenty of urgent things to deal with. Orders need fulfilling, equipment needs maintaining and customers need answers. Reading up on another government scheme can understandably slip down the list.

BICS deserves a little time now because, if your business qualifies, the work you put into an application could help reduce a recurring cost for years.

What the savings could mean

The British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme provides relief from specified electricity policy costs for eligible manufacturers in Great Britain. Government estimates put the benefit at up to £40 per megawatt-hour.

To make that tangible, imagine a qualifying site using one million kWh of grid electricity a year. That is 1,000 MWh. At £40/MWh, the arithmetic gives an illustrative annual saving of £40,000.

 

That assumes the full exemption applies across that consumption at that rate. Actual savings depend on your circumstances and the charges being relieved; it is not a guaranteed return or a first-year forecast.

But it shows why checking matters. Think about the additional sales you would need to generate the same contribution to your business. A lower electricity bill could give you more room to maintain equipment, invest in production or absorb pressure elsewhere.

The current guidance says an approved exemption is valid for five years, subject to continued eligibility, annual declarations and a review in year two. Relief begins in April 2027 for Renewables Obligation and Feed-in Tariff costs, with Capacity Market relief following in October.

That gives a piece of work now the potential to keep paying dividends.

Start with a check you can act on

You do not need to commit to a consultancy engagement to take the first step. The government has a BICS eligibility checker.

The starting requirements include Companies House registration, an eligible manufacturing sector, eligible products made in Great Britain and at least 33,000 kWh of grid electricity use a year at the relevant site. A large electricity bill alone does not establish eligibility.

Give someone responsibility for checking those points and reporting back. If the initial answer looks promising, bring finance and operations into the same conversation.

Finance may have the bills and supply details. Production colleagues know what is actually made and how electricity is used. Putting those records together early helps you see what is straightforward and what needs further investigation.

For the application, expect to gather company and site details, meter identifiers, six months of electricity consumption evidence and evidence of eligible manufacturing activity.

Some sites will take more work, particularly where meters are shared or production includes both eligible and ineligible products. The initial check is a manageable first step; the full application needs enough time to be accurate.

Put time in the diary now

The first application window closes on 30 November 2026 at 11:59pm. The guidance also warns that applications cannot be amended after submission.

So the useful action is to set aside time now, establish whether there is a credible opportunity and identify any missing evidence while there is still time to obtain it.

 

You can apply directly. If you use an adviser, ask them to explain the likely benefit, their fees, the work required and your ongoing responsibilities before committing.

At InnoFund, our view is simple: manufacturing businesses work hard for their margins. Where support is available, taking the time to understand it is sensible business housekeeping. We can move quickly on this but that doesn’t mean you should leave it to the very last minute.

Whether you do that with us, with your existing adviser or with your own team, give BICS a proper look before November is over.