LONDON

Almost 320,000 households were unable to pay their electricity bills in Ireland in December last year, an increase of just over 20% compared with the previous year.

New figures from the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) showed on Friday that 319,459 customers were in energy arrears at the end of December, up from 264,458 in December 2024—a rise of more than 50,000.

The increase comes amid higher gas and electricity prices since the Russian invasion of Ukraine four years ago.

The final two months of the year saw a sharp jump. Numbers rose from just over 303,000 customers in arrears in November to almost 320,000 in December, a month-on-month increase of more than 5%.

In December, 26% of all domestic gas customers were in arrears, while 14% of electricity customers were unable to pay part or all of their bill.

The average amount owed by electricity customers rose by 10% year-on-year, although the amount owed by gas customers fell by 1%.

Minister for Housing James Browne said he and the government are "very much aware" of the challenges that people are going through.

Speaking on RTE's Morning Ireland, he said emergency measures were introduced when energy bills first rose, but the government is now moving towards a "more medium- and long-term approach" to reduce costs permanently.

He said the government's energy affordability action task force has published an interim report and is working towards a finalized report "to get costs under control."