Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS)

Overview

The TBESS was introduced to support businesses with increases in their electricity or natural gas (energy) costs. Your business can make a claim under the scheme if it:

• is tax compliant
• carries on a Case I trade or Case II profession (this includes charities and approved sporting bodies that carry on certain activities)
• and
• has experienced a significant increase of 30% or more in its electricity and, or natural gas average unit price.

Qualifying businesses can claim for:

• 40% of the increases in their September 2022 to February 2023 energy bills
• and
• 50% of the increase in their March 2023 to July 2023 energy bills.

The increase in energy bills must be between the 'claim period' and the 'reference period'.

A claim period is a calendar month from September 2022 to July 2023. A reference period is the corresponding calendar month in the previous year. For example, September 2021 is the reference period for the September 2022 claim period.

Further information on the scheme is contained in the TBESS guidelines.

Note

Businesses must submit a claim for the September 2022 to July 2023 claim periods by 30 September 2023. Claims cannot be made after this date.

Claim amount

If your business is a qualifying business, it can make a claim for a Temporary Business Energy Payment (TBEP).

The TBEP is equal to:

• 40% of a business’ eligible costs for September 2022 to February 2023 claim periods
• and
• 50% of a business' eligible costs for March 2023 to July 2023 claim periods.

 The TBEP is subject to a monthly cap.

Note:

You can use Revenue’s online calculator to determine the increase in your energy bills and calculate the potential TBEP.

State aid

The scheme is designed to be compliant with the European Union State Aid Temporary Crisis Framework and Transition (TCTF). The TCTF sets out overall limits on the financial support that may be claimed by single undertakings. 

Publication

Revenue will publish a list of the names and addresses of all businesses who avail of the TBESS. The list will include the total amounts they have claimed.

As a requirement under the TCTF, Revenue will publish additional details in relation to persons who are members of a single undertaking where claims under the TBESS exceed:

• €100,000 for any claim period
• or
• €10,000 per claim period where the single undertaking is engaged in farming or fishery and aquaculture.

Note:

A number of enhancements have been made to the TBESS.  Please see the next page in this section for further information.

Next: Enhancements to the TBESS