SSE Airtricity domestic customers in Northern Ireland are about to experience that special kind of joy that comes from watching your wallet lighten along with your home. The electricity provider has announced that household bills will increase by 6.2% from 1 August, adding about 20p a day, or £71.57 extra a year, to the average annual cost of £1,277.07.

Stephen Gallagher, managing director of SSE Airtricity, offered the classic corporate lament: this was a decision the company had not taken lightly, but it's due to "sustained market volatility" and higher wholesale costs that are "outside of our control." Translation: your electricity is getting more expensive, and it's not our fault, but you'll still be paying us.

The company says it continues to do everything it can to limit the impact of ongoing volatility in the energy market, which presumably does not include lowering prices.

Raymond Gormley, head of energy policy at the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland, offers some practical advice for those feeling the pinch: contact SSE Airtricity "without delay to get advice and support." He also notes that being on a standard tariff and paying on receipt of a bill is the "most expensive way to pay for your electricity," and suggests switching payment methods, billing method, or even supplier as possible ways to save money. Because in times of rising costs, the real solution is to play musical chairs with your utility provider.