Firmus Energy has announced an 8.98% price increase for customers in the Ten Towns area and a 12.5% hike for Greater Belfast, because nothing says 'happy autumn' like a higher gas bill.

The Ten Towns new tariff kicks in on 1 October, adding an extra £7 per month to the average bill. Meanwhile, around 54,000 Greater Belfast customers will see their tariffs rise from 8 October, with an extra £12 per month on top. Because who doesn't want to pay more for the privilege of staying warm?

In a statement dripping with inevitability, the company said the increase was 'due to the increased cost of gas on the global energy markets caused by the prolonged conflict in the Middle East'. Ah yes, the classic 'global markets' excuse - a favorite among energy providers everywhere.

About 77,000 households and small businesses in the Ten Towns area - spanning Antrim, Armagh, Banbridge, Ballymena, Coleraine, Craigavon, Newry, Londonderry, and more than 25 other towns and villages - will feel the pinch. That's a lot of people suddenly rethinking their thermostat settings.

Sharleen Winning, head of regulation at Firmus Energy, said they 'cannot ignore the impact the situation in the Middle East is having on the cost of energy'. She added, 'Unfortunately this has left us with no option other than to increase our tariffs.' Because, as we all know, energy companies are famously helpless in the face of global events.

Winning also mentioned that Firmus Energy have 'held off for as long as we could in the hope of a resolution that would lead to a reduction in the global wholesale prices'. They've 'demonstrated that when we are in a position to reduce tariffs, we do so without delay' - a claim that might offer cold comfort to customers now facing higher bills.

This comes on the heels of Northern Ireland's largest gas provider, SSE Airtricity, announcing a nearly 19% increase from 1 October for its 200,000 customers. Because when one company raises prices, apparently others feel compelled to follow suit.

Leigh Greer from the Utility Regulator advises worried customers to contact their supplier ASAP. 'Suppliers will work with customers to discuss payment options and the support available,' she said, adding that 'another increase in energy bills will be deeply concerning for households and small businesses, particularly for those already under pressure from the wider cost of living.' In other words, just when you thought the cost of living couldn't get more exciting, along comes another price hike to keep things interesting.