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British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS)
Eligibility and application support
For more than a decade, ForrestBrown has helped to secure valuable reliefs for forward-thinking businesses.
We apply that expertise to applications for the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS), helping eligible manufacturers in Great Britain to benefit from a reduction in electricity bills of up to 25%. We ensure:
- All eligible electricity use has been captured, across all your sites.
- Applications are submitted on time, according to the defined criteria.
- Renewal application and post-approval compliance support is available.
What is the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS)?
The British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS) is a new initiative designed to help manufacturers in Industrial Strategy high-growth sectors (IS-8), reduce their energy bills. It operates by exempting approved businesses from the indirect costs associated with existing energy schemes, including:
- The Renewables Obligation (RO)
- Feed-in Tariffs (FiTs)
- The Capacity Market (CM)
The scheme is intended to strengthen industrial competitiveness, encourage investment and support the creation of manufacturing jobs across Great Britain.
How does it work?
BICS works by removing the indirect costs associated with schemes such as FITs, CM and RO, creating a significant reduction in electricity bills for eligible manufacturers.
For successful applicants, exemptions will begin to apply to electricity bills from April 2027. They will run for a five-year period.
Key dates
With a short two-month application window, it’s key to act with speed, clarity and expert support.
- 1 October 2026: applications to the scheme opened.
- 30 November 2026: applications close.
- January 2027: application reviews completed by government.
- April 2027: first exemptions begin to apply.
Is my business eligible for BICS?
Whether you are eligible for BICS will depend on four key factors:
Companies House
Whether you are registered on Companies House.
Sector
Which sector your business operates in (eligible manufacturing businesses in IS-8 sectors and the foundational industries that supply them).
Products
Whether your company is manufacturing eligible products, related to eligible sectors. These are defined using Harmonised System (HS) product codes.
Energy use
If you use a minimum 33 megawatt-hours (MWh) of grid-supplied electricity per year at the manufacturing site for which support is being claimed. (Note that businesses can apply for multiple sites).
All four criteria must be met for an application to be proceedable.
You should also consider where your manufacturing facility is located. The scheme applies in England, Scotland and Wales only; not in Northern Ireland.
For an indication of whether your business qualifies, use the government’s eligibility tool or call us on 0117 926 9022.
Sectors and SIC codes
For BICS purposes, “eligible” sectors are those businesses operating in frontier manufacturing and foundational manufacturing industries across the IS-8 sectors. They must also pass the relevant sectoral electricity intensity threshold.
A company’s SIC code determines whether it sits within an eligible sector.
You can view a full list of eligible SIC codes.
Benefits for UK manufacturers
Energy costs have risen significantly in recent years, particularly for energy-intensive manufacturers. Successfully applying to BICS could:
- Reduce your electricity bill by 25% at eligible sites.
- Provide a significant cost-saving over several years.
- Enable you to invest in growth with confidence.
While the initial application window is short, the benefits of BICS are reaped over a five-year period – and are not limited to a single site. Businesses can make one application in a year covering multiple sites, as long as they utilise the requisite amount of electricity and manufacture eligible products.
Ready to start your British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme application?
With a short two-month window to submit your application, we understand that you may need some additional support. For eligibility guidance and full application support, get in touch with our expert team today.
FAQs
The scheme has been introduced to help improve competitiveness for manufacturing businesses based in Great Britain. By reducing electricity costs, the government hopes it will stimulate investment and job creation.
For BICS purposes, eligible sectors are frontier manufacturing industries and foundational manufacturing industries associated with the Industrial Strategy (IS-8) sectors. They must also pass a sectoral electricity intensity threshold.
The government has produced a list of Standard Industry Classification (SIC) Codes for eligible BICS sectors. It includes a wide range of businesses, from flat glass manufacturers to sugar manufacturers.
Businesses must demonstrate that they manufacture eligible products corresponding to an eligible Harmonised System (HS) code. A full list has been created by the government.
Yes, SMEs can apply for BICS, as long as they meet the core eligibility criteria.