Cost of living: NI schools' energy bills could rise by 60%

Schools in Northern Ireland are facing an estimated 60% rise in energy costs, according to the Department of Education (DE).

The department has estimated that schools face an overall bill of £75m for oil, electric and gas in the 2022-23 financial year.

This is compared to £47m for the same utilities in 2021-22.

Energy bills in Northern Ireland have risen substantially in recent months.

The figure also includes rising costs for some school services provided by the Education Authority (EA) like school meals.

It is as yet unclear how schools in Northern Ireland will be helped by a wider government support package for businesses.

Schools have to pay for heating, oil and gas from their own budgets.

In 2021-22, Northern Ireland's 1,000 schools received an extra £5m towards energy bills from DE but it is not clear if they will receive additional funding for 2022-23.

The head of St Paul's Primary in west Belfast, Sean McNamee, said that he was expecting his gas bills to more than double this year and his electricity bills to rise.

"Our gas costs last year were £16,326, and they're currently estimated at around £35,000 until March 2023," he told BBC News NI.

"It seems like we are going to have to try and absorb it."

The principal of Tullygally Primary in Craigavon, Kirsty Andrews, fears similar rises.

"Last year my overall budget for gas was £20,000," she said.

"This year I have allowed £21,000 but we have already spent £7,000 from April until now.

"Last year for the same months we had spent £4,500.

"I've already spent £2,500 on electricity this year when by the same time last year I'd spent £1,000.

"I know we are being given some allowance from EA to go towards these rising costs but it's not enough and we will end up having to reduce staff to recuperate costs."

The head of Devenish College in Enniskillen, Simon Mowbray, said the school had already spent 73% of its allocated budget for oil this financial year and 63% of its allocated budget for gas.

"We are relatively well stocked but we will surpass amounts budgeted for," he said.

Peter Friel, the head of St Pius X College in Magherafelt, has also seen bills increase.

"We are up 63% year-on-year as of the end of August on heating costs," he said.

"In April I budgeted for £120,000 this year and that is going to be short.

"We paid £57,000 for electricity in 2021-22 and our estimate this school year is for £80,000.

"Our electricity costs are set to rise by about 40% since last year."

In Belfast, Campbell College principal Robert Robinson said the heating bill for the grammar would also increase substantially this year and that all schools were facing "a real issue".

Meanwhile, the head of St Oliver Plunkett Primary in Belfast Paddy McCabe said his gas bill had already gone up by 150% between the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years.

"In 2020-21 our gas bill was £27,225," he said.

"In 2021-22 it rose to £67,996 and prices are set to go up again this year.

"In the budget in the Republic of Ireland there's going to be €100m to mitigate some of the cost to schools of rising energy prices.

"That's a recognition there of the impact this is having on schools and their budgets."

Paul Bell, the head of Botanic Primary in Belfast has seen similar rises and also expects higher bills this year.

"Who knows what it'll be this year?" he said.

"Last school year, our gas bill was £27,000 when it had been predicted to be £12,000.

"Back in May we had estimated it would rise to about £36,000 but then last year's was double what we had predicted.

"But classrooms have to be a certain temperature whatever, so we have no choice in the matter."

In response to a query from BBC News NI, the EA said that of the total £75m energy cost estimate for 2022/23, £62m was accounted for by schools and £13m for services to schools like meals, school kitchens and some EA buildings.

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said they understood the challenges faced by schools from rising energy costs.

"Officials from the department and the Education Authority continue to keep the situation under review to ensure that the estimated energy cost pressures which schools face are given due priority in any future discussions on the budget," they said.

"However, it is anticipated the recent announcement of support from the UK government for households, businesses and public sector organisations facing rising energy bills will help mitigate against increasing energy costs."