Northern Ireland electricity guide
Welcome Credits and Exit Fees: Compare the Whole NI Electricity Deal
Published on 23 June 2026 by Wee Switch NI Team. Last reviewed 23 June 2026.
How Northern Ireland households can compare welcome credits, fixed-term discounts, exit fees and payment conditions without being distracted by headline offers.
A welcome credit or discount can make an electricity offer look attractive, but it should not be checked separately from the unit rate, standing charge, payment method, contract length and exit fee. The useful comparison is the whole deal over the period you expect to stay on it.
Once you have the before-incentive annual cost, write down any credit or reward separately. Do not subtract it until you know when it is paid, whether it is automatic, and what you must do to keep it.
If a tariff has a GBP 40 exit fee and a GBP 60 credit, the credit is not automatically worth GBP 60 to you. First check whether the exit fee could apply before the credit arrives, whether the credit has to be repaid, and whether a future price change would make you want to leave.
A one-year discount needs a reminder before it ends. Put the end date somewhere visible and compare again using current rates before the tariff rolls onto a different price or a standard arrangement.
If you are likely to move house, install an EV charger, switch between keypad and credit meter, or change payment method, treat the fixed term as a real commitment rather than a small-print detail.
Compare the tariff first without incentives, then add the welcome credit, discount rules and exit fee as separate checks. The strongest deal is the one that still works after the conditions are read carefully.
Start with the price before incentives
Check the conditions attached to the credit
Put exit fees into the same calculation
Use a simple note before switching
How this guide is reviewed
This guide is reviewed for Northern Ireland relevance, current supplier status, and tariff-sensitive claims. Tariff figures should be checked against the latest Consumer Council NI source before publication.