'Wear more clothes if it's cold,' schools in Northern Ireland told as energy bills rise
Schools in Northern Ireland have been advised to reduce heating and lighting to manage rising energy costs. The Education Authority warns that gas and electricity bills are expected to increase significantly by 2027 due to geopolitical instability.
Why it matters
This highlights the tangible impact of global energy price volatility on essential public services and student welfare.
Image source, Getty Images By Robbie Meredith Education and arts correspondent, BBC News NI Published 7 October 2026, 06:33 BST Updated 4 minutes ago Staff and pupils at schools across Northern Ireland have been told to "wear more clothes" if it is cold in order to cut heating bills.
Schools have been told by the Education Authority (EA) to reduce heating and lighting "wherever possible".
The authority has said that school gas and electricity bills are set to rise by about £8m by March 2027.
The EA has written to school heads warning that increasing costs will affect school energy bills.
Image source, Kirsty Logan-Hall Image caption, Kirsty Logan-Hall says her school is in an older building which presents energy efficiency challenges
Rising energy costs are already affecting households across Northern Ireland.
The impact of the US-Israel war with Iran is one of the factors behind the increase.
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