Domestic gas bills in the North will increase by about £11 this year and next, but large businesses could see their average bills increase by “thousands of pounds”, the utility regulator has warned.

It follows a decision by the UK’s competition commission to examine a request by Phoenix Natural Gas, which owns and operates the natural gas distribution network in greater Belfast and Larne, to increase prices by £24 a year, but the regulator rejected its proposal.

“Gas consumers will now benefit to the tune of £19.2m,” said Shane Lynch, the chief executive of the utilities watchdog in Northern Ireland.