The British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (BICS)

BICS is a government scheme designed to reduce energy costs for manufacturing businesses.

Our new bite‑size guides address the key questions: what support the scheme offers, which industries are eligible, and what businesses should do next.

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Online event

Join the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) on Thursday 24 September at 10:30am for the latest scheme update ahead of applications opening on 1 October 2026. They'll also take a deeper dive into the application portal, helping businesses prepare their application.

Register here

 
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Part one: What is BICS?


In Part one, we explain what BICS is, the policy context, and what the government is proposing. We also cover how industry has reacted and how nBS is supporting its customers.

Understand BICS

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Part two: Who is eligible for BICS?

In Part two, we explore the proposed eligibility framework in more detail, including the concepts of frontier and foundational industries and how the government expects to measure electricity intensity.

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Part three: What do I need to do next?

In Part three, we will explore whether the proposals for BICS have changed since the original government consultation and what the practical next steps are for qualifying businesses.

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BICS briefing

Watch our on-demand webinar featuring industry experts who share the latest insights on BICS, including what it could mean for businesses, who’s eligible, key application timelines and how to prepare a successful submission. 

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Energy Cost Calculator

Our industry-first Energy Cost Calculator gives you a clear, instant view of how increasing non-commodity costs could affect your business. Whether or not you’re eligible for BICs, it’s useful to get your personalised cost forecast.

 

 

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Business Energy Tracker

In our latest report, over 50% of businesses said that non-commodity charges now make up at least 25% of their energy costs. But what did they say about the need for broader eligibility in future support schemes?

 

 

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