Lower delivery charges and taxes mean gas and electricity bills will be down slightly this year, national statistics office CBS said on Friday.

The reduction will be around 3.8%, meaning a saving of some €60 a year for the average household. Families in large houses are likely to pay €105 less while single people in small, well insulated apartments will benefit by around €3 a month.

The extra energy used by people working at home maybe offset by the use of more energy efficient equipment and better insulation, the CBS said.

The figures are based on like-for-like usage in 2020 and 2021, and do not take the impact of the February freeze into account.