Script library · Ireland · Winter 2026/27
If you're behind on your electricity or gas bill in Ireland this winter, the CRU's new rules (published 12 October 2026) let you ask for a repayment plan you can actually afford, with at least 18 months to clear the debt and no compulsory upfront payment. If you're in financial hardship, you can also ask to be moved to your supplier's lowest-cost tariff. Prepay customers keep a 15% cap on debt taken from each top-up and €20 emergency credit. Below are the exact words to use, and what to say if the answer is no.
Here is the uncomfortable truth: you are not alone, and you are not unusual. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities' figures, reported by RTÉ in August 2026, put 322,298 households in electricity arrears in April 2026, the highest since records began in 2016 and about 14% of domestic electricity customers. Another 185,940 were behind on gas. The Irish Times reported in September that the average electricity arrears figure has reached €512, and the gas figure €224.
Most people in arrears never use the protections they're entitled to, because nobody tells them what to ask for. That's what this page is for.
322,298
Homes behind on electricity (Apr 2026)
18 months
Minimum repayment window you can ask for
1 in 3
Lone-parent households with utility arrears
The "1 in 3" is the CSO's 33.0% figure for single-adult households with children who missed a utility payment on time in the past 12 months (SILC 2025). Across all households with utility bills the figure was 8.3%.
The new CRU winter rules, translated into plain asks
On 12 October 2026 the CRU published its additional winter protections for 2026/27, effective immediately. Here's each rule with the sentence that unlocks it.
| The rule (2026/27) | What you say | Script |
|---|---|---|
| Repayment plans must reflect what you can afford, and upfront payments are optional | "I'd like a plan based on what I can afford, with no upfront lump sum." | #2 |
| At least 18 months to repay arrears | "Please spread it over at least 18 months." | #2, #7 |
| Customers in financial hardship go on the supplier's lowest-cost tariff | "I'm in financial hardship. Please move me to your lowest-cost tariff." | #3 |
| Five-month winter disconnection moratorium for special services customers; full protection for critical services customers | "Please add me to your vulnerable customer register." | #4 |
| Prepay: no more than 15% of a top-up goes to old debt; emergency credit stays at €20 | "Can you confirm only 15% of my top-up is going to arrears?" | #5 |
| €200 charge for leaving a gas pay-as-you-go meter remains suspended | "I'd like to move back to a bill-pay meter; I understand there's no €200 fee." | #5 |
| Suppliers must publish retention offers; 30 days' notice of price rises | "What's your best retention offer for an existing customer?" | #6 |
We ran the numbers: 12 months vs 18 months vs prepay
Using the Irish Times average arrears figures, here's what the new 18-month floor does to a monthly repayment. This covers the arrears only; your ongoing usage is on top.
€512 electricity arrears over 12 months: €42.67 a month
€512 over 18 months: €28.44 a month (a third less each month)
Electricity + gas average (€736) over 18 months: €40.89 a month
Prepay works differently. The 15% cap means a €30 weekly top-up sends at most €4.50 to old debt. At that rate, €512 takes about 114 weeks to clear, more than two years. With a €50 weekly top-up (€7.50 to debt) it's about 68 weeks. The cap protects your heat today but stretches the debt out. That's fine if you know it's happening, and a shock if you don't. Ask your supplier for the balance every few months.
The 8 scripts
Before you ring, have three things in front of you: your account number, your last bill, and one honest number for what you can pay each month after rent, food and transport. Write down the date, the name of the person you spoke to and what was agreed. If you prefer, every script below works as an email too, which gives you a written record.
Script 1 · The first call (before it gets bigger)
When: you've missed one bill or you can see you're about to.
"Hi, I'm calling about account [number]. I'm behind on my bill and I want to sort it out with you before it grows. I'd like to talk about a repayment plan under the CRU's winter protections."
If they say "just pay what you can": "I'd prefer a formal plan in writing so we both know where we stand. Can you set that up today?"
Script 2 · The affordable plan, no lump sum
When: they offer a plan but ask for a large payment upfront or a short timescale.
"Under the CRU's 2026/27 measures, repayment plans should reflect what I can afford, upfront payments are optional, and I can have at least 18 months to repay. I can manage €[amount] a month on top of my usage. Can you set it up on that basis?"
If they say no: "Can you tell me which part of the CRU measures you think doesn't apply to me? I'd like that in writing, please." Then go to Script 8.
Script 3 · Financial hardship and the cheapest tariff
When: the bill itself is the problem, not just the arrears.
"I'm in financial hardship. My understanding is that customers in hardship should be placed on your lowest-cost tariff and given a dedicated support contact. What do you need from me to make that happen?"
If they ask for proof: "I can tell you my weekly income and outgoings, and I'm in touch with MABS if you'd like to speak to them." (MABS can help you put a statement of means together; see below.)
Script 4 · The vulnerable customer register (for you or a parent)
When: someone in the home is 66 or over and lives alone or with other older people or children, or has a disability or illness, or depends on electrically powered medical or assistive equipment.
"I'd like to register [name] on your vulnerable customer register. They're [aged 66 and living alone / dependent on electrically powered equipment]. Can you send me the form today and confirm the winter disconnection protection that applies?"
Why it matters: suppliers list special services customers as those vulnerable to disconnection in winter, with no disconnection from 1 November to 31 March (Bord Gáis Energy's definition shows a typical example). The CRU has told suppliers to promote the register to customers by 4 December 2026, but you don't need to wait for their text.
Script 5 · Prepay customers
When: you're on a prepay or pay-as-you-go meter with old debt.
"Can you confirm how much of each top-up is going to my old balance? My understanding is it can't be more than 15%. Can you also confirm my emergency credit is €20, and tell me my current debt balance and the other payment options you offer?"
If you want to leave gas pay-as-you-go: "I understand the €200 charge for switching to a credit meter is still suspended this winter. Please confirm that before we go ahead."
Script 6 · The price-rise letter
When: you've had the 30-day notice of a price increase.
"I've had notice of your price increase. Suppliers now have to publish retention offers for existing customers. What's the best rate you can offer me to stay, and is there a cheaper plan for my usage, including a smart tariff?"
Good to know: if you're moving from a 24-hour tariff to a smart tariff with the same supplier, the CRU says termination fees are waived. Being in arrears can make switching to a new supplier harder, so start with your current one. Our 4-week plan before the electricity price rises takes you through the comparison step by step.
Script 7 · When the plan you agreed stops working
When: your hours were cut, a child-related cost came up, or the plan was too ambitious.
"I've kept to my plan since [month], but my circumstances have changed and I can't keep paying €[old amount]. I'd like to review it now, before I miss a payment, and reduce it to €[new amount] over a longer period."
Why ringing early works: a customer who calls before missing a payment is in a much stronger position than one who calls after.
Script 8 · Escalating a "no"
When: you've asked clearly and been refused.
"I'd like to make a formal complaint. Please log it and send me your complaints process and a reference number. If we can't resolve this, I'll take it to the CRU."
Next step: once you've used your supplier's process and you're unhappy with the outcome, you can complain to the CRU. Send copies of your bills, letters and call notes. For a billing dispute, the CRU says your supplier must pause collection of the disputed amount while it investigates, although later bills still need to be paid on time.
The part nobody puts in the script: how it feels
Most people delay the call because of shame, not because they don't know the number. Debt with a utility can feel personal: it's the light switch, the shower, the children's dinner. It's worth saying clearly that falling behind on energy in Ireland is now a mainstream experience, not a moral failure. Hundreds of thousands of households are in the same position.
If you're someone who freezes when a brown envelope arrives, two things help. First, separate the call from the problem: the call takes ten minutes, and fixing the problem can take eighteen months. Second, put the call on a recurring system so it doesn't depend on willpower. That's exactly what Step III: Own the System is built for: it helps you set firm money boundaries and simple routines for bills, so you're not running on adrenaline every time a letter lands. If you'd rather start smaller, the free 7-Day Money Anxiety Reset journal is a ten-minute-a-day way to lower the dread before you pick up the phone.
When it's bigger than the energy bill
If energy is only one of several bills you're behind on, talk to the Money Advice and Budgeting Service. MABS is free and confidential, and its helpline is 0818 07 2000 (MABS). The Irish Times notes that a Debt Relief Notice can cover unsecured debts of up to €35,000, including utility bills, credit union loans and credit cards, and that people often look for help too late. The Society of St Vincent de Paul also supports households with energy costs. Note that the CRU now expects suppliers to look for practical solutions themselves before referring you to MABS or SVP, so use Scripts 1 to 3 first.
If you heat with oil rather than gas, our heating oil prices guide covers what's changed and what helps. For what Budget 2027 does and doesn't do for your bills, see what you gain from Budget 2027. If rent is also squeezing you, 9 myths Irish tenants still believe will help you check your rights there too.
Sources
- CRU publishes additional winter protections — Commission for Regulation of Utilities, 2026
- Complain to the CRU — Commission for Regulation of Utilities
- SILC 2025: Household arrears and finances — Central Statistics Office, 2025 (revised 2026)
- Record number in arrears on electricity bills — RTÉ News, 2026
- What happens when you can't pay an electricity or gas bill? — The Irish Times, 2026
- Energy watchdog brings in more measures — Irish Examiner, 2026
- Worried about electricity and gas costs? — MABS, 2025
- What is a special services customer? — Bord Gáis Energy
Educational content only. Not personalised financial advice.