Business energy suppliers

Here are some of the suppliers that are on our panel. At Uswitch for Business, we only compare deals from suppliers who offer great service alongside competitive rates.

At Uswitch for Business, we only compare business energy deals from suppliers who offer great service alongside competitive rates. If you're looking to change business electricity provider or switch business gas supplier, here are some of the suppliers on our panel. Click to find out more about each one. 

• British Gas business
• Crown
• E.ON
• EDF Energy
• Haven Power
• Octopus Energy
• Opus Energy
• Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE)
• ScottishPower
• Smartest Energy
• Total Gas & Power
• Valda Energy

When you come to compare business energy suppliers, you’ll notice it’s not quite the same as running a search for domestic gas and electricity – that’s because commercial energy is tailored to the specific needs of your business. 

While this is good news because it means you get a bespoke plan, it does mean you need to contact each and every provider to get a quote in the first place. 

As a business energy broker, we’re here to make sure that you get a good view of the gas and electricity deals that are available by letting you compare energy suppliers in one go. With us doing all the hard work like searching and comparing tariffs, you can rest assured that we’ll help you choose a new energy supplier that gives you great value for money.

If you run a large business that uses a lot of energy, we make the switching process simpler with a bespoke procurement service, a bill validation service and a metering and data collector service. If you run your business from multiple locations, we also offer a multi-site metering service.

The right energy supplier for your business won’t necessarily be the one that charges the least amount of money. It’s worth remembering that commercial contracts can run for up to five years so it’s important to choose a gas and electricity provider that you’re happy with overall.

With that in mind, customer service is a big deal and it’s wise to take the time to find out what a provider’s track record is really like. Reading reviews and finding out call waiting and response times are all good ways to choose an energy supplier. Word of mouth is also a valuable source of information so if you know of fellow entrepreneurs with similar businesses, then ask for their advice.

As well as customer satisfaction, you should also think about:

• Budget – consider how much flexibility you have to meet rising energy prices, if there’s minimal room for manoeuvre then fixed contracts (for example) might be better than variable options.
• Your business – some plans will suit you better than others depending on the type of business you run. For example, if you’re busiest at night and at weekends, you’ll have different energy needs from businesses that run during traditional opening hours.
• Your usage – if you operate a machinery or production plant then you’re likely to consume far more energy than a shop, which might mean you need a specific meter or supply.
• Green tariffs – if your business has a strong environmental ethos then you may want to consider suppliers that use renewables or invest in eco-friendly projects.

If cost is your chief concern, you’ll want to find out which supplier is offering cheap energy rates. When you run an energy comparison with a broker or comparison service like Uswitch for Business, we’ll compare prices from our panel of trusted suppliers to find our cheapest business gas and electricity rates.

It’s not always the best idea to base your comparison solely on cost though. You might need a supplier that can offer longer contracts, certain payment methods, or boasts a great customer service record. Whatever you need from a business energy provider, we can help you out.

Our energy experts will find the best electricity supplier and most suitable gas supplier to meet your requirements and help minimise your bills. Once you've picked the deal you like best, we’ll take care of the whole switch from start to finish to save both time and money. Remember, our comparison service is completely free. Call now on 0800 188 4930.

Choosing the right energy supplier isn’t an overnight decision so before you sign on the dotted line, consider the following:

• Unit rate and standing charge – the unit rate is the price you pay for each kilowatt hour (kWh) of energy you use. Suppliers all add a daily standing charge which is a fee to supply you with energy. Your agreed unit cost can be either fixed or variable (which means it can go up or down according to the market) but your overall bill will reflect the amount of energy you’ve used.
• Out of contract rates – it’s essential to ensure you’ve officially cancelled your contract when it ends, if you don’t, then your supplier can put you on an out of contract tariff which is likely to be very expensive. Always check what your provider’s policy is and what their out of contract tariffs are so you don’t get caught out.
• Know your renewal window – this is when you can start looking at new deals and providers and is typically one to six months before the end of your contract.
• Regional prices – if you work in an office or other premises then this is something you won’t be able to control but it’s handy to know that where you’re located can affect the price of your energy.
• Business energy meters – if you use a lot of energy or have premises spread across a number of sites, then think about installing a half-hourly (HH) or multi-site meter.
• Installation – if you’re moving to a new site that isn’t connected to gas or electricity yet, you’ll need to factor in time and money to install a connection. Double check any terms and conditions as well, to ensure you don’t end up locked into a lengthy contract based on the work a provider has done.

Most business energy suppliers will offer contracts that last for between one and three years. Some will offer up to five years. That's why it makes sense to speak to one of our experts and find out which will best suit your business.

We'll also talk you through the types of contracts that are available to you, which could include the following:

• Fixed-term tariffs - The unit rate and standing charge are fixed for the length of the contract. 
• Extended tariffs - Your current supplier offers you competitive rates to extend your current contract.
• Flex approach tariffs - Larger businesses can bulk buy energy for future use to take advantage when prices are lower.
• Pass through tariffs - Splits your bill between paying for the energy you use (which is fixed) and other costs (which are variable).

If you've moved into new premises without sorting a new business energy deal, you'll be placed on deemed rates by that building's supplier. If you don't arrange a new contract before your current one ends, you'll be placed on out-of-contract rates by your current supplier. In both cases, these rates are usually among a supplier's most expensive, but you can switch at any time.

When it comes to comparing business energy suppliers, you'll quickly realise that there are a lot of choices out there. And when you're deciding which supplier to switch to, you’ll need to work out whether you want to go with one of the bigger, more well-known energy suppliers or one of the smaller commercial energy suppliers. 

Competitive pricing will probably be your main priority when running a business energy comparison, but there’s more to consider than just cheap energy. 

Energy supply is a highly competitive industry and most business energy suppliers will offer different contract terms and levels of service, depending upon the size and needs of your business - while one supplier might be great for a micro business, it might not be best equipped to meet the demands of a high energy consumption business, in which case you’ll need to compare industrial energy suppliers. If you do run a large business, you might even need to consider half-hourly metering or multi-site meters.

It’s well worth taking the time and effort to look a little further past the price point to see what else a supplier can offer, and the energy experts at Uswitch for Business can do all the hard work for you. We can compare deals in a matter of minutes to find you the best commercial energy supplier.

Switching electricity and gas suppliers isn't as straightforward as switching home energy. This means it can be time-consuming, not least because the only way to make sure you're on the best deal is to contact each supplier for an individual, bespoke quote. Or you can let our energy experts do all the hard work for you, to save both time and money.

Negotiation plays an important role in any business energy switch, as suppliers don’t always publish all their rates on business gas and electricity comparison sites. But don’t let this put you off - from a financial standpoint alone, the benefit of switching gas and electricity suppliers for business vastly outweighs the effort involved if you let us run the comparison on your behalf. 

This is especially true for business energy customers who have inadvertently found themselves on uncompetitive deemed or out-of-contract rates, something that can easily happen if you don’t keep an eye on your renewal dates.

You can compare and switch business energy in just three simple steps with Uswitch for Business. 

• Step 1 – Give us your postcode and we'll use smart data to get your meter number and usage data
• Step 2 – Our experts compare deals from a range of suppliers and talk you through them on a call
• Step 3 – You choose the deal that best suits your needs and budget, and we'll take care of the switch

When you switch with Uswitch for Business, we can keep an eye on your renewal dates and automatically find the best deal for your business to ensure you never overpay again.

Switching business electricity and gas suppliers is generally quick and problem-free, but there are instances when your switch can get rejected. There is usually a simple explanation for this, usually that you have an outstanding debt owed to your old supplier, but there may be other issues. Our business energy experts can offer guidance with any issues you might encounter.

While comparison sites can help you benchmark prices, gathering and analysing quotes from different gas and electricity business suppliers takes time. 

As a general rule, you should aim to try and compare quotes for upwards of 10 business energy companies to be sure your company is getting the best deal on the market. This is where an expert business energy broker such as Uswitch for Business can help. We can do the legwork by gathering and comparing energy quotes from a whole range of gas and electricity suppliers for business on your company’s behalf. And we can even take care of renewals, to give you one less admin job to worry about. 

The amount your business can save from switching depends on its size, the number of staff you employ and, ultimately, how efficiently it’s run. It’s impossible to say exactly how much your company could save as all businesses are different. But it’s safe to say that if you haven’t renegotiated your business’s energy tariff for more than a few years, then it’s highly likely that you’re now paying more than you should.

If you need to work out how much energy your business should be using, it helps to know how much energy a business of your size should be using. Below are the average electricity and gas consumption rates for businesses of all sizes.

Business type	Business size by employees	Business size by revenue	Average business electricity consumption	Average business gas consumption
Micro business	0 - 10	£0 - £1,400,000	5,000 kWh - 15,000 kWh	5,000 kWh - 15,000 kWh
Small business	11-50	£1,400,000 - £7,000,000	15,000 kWh - 25,000 kWh	15,000 kWh - 30,000 kWh
Medium-sized business	51 - 250	£7,000,000 - £36,000,000	30,000 kWh - 50,000 kWh	30,000 kWh - 65,000 kWh
Large business	251 +	£36,000,000 +	50,000 kWh +	65,000 kWh +

Switching gas and electricity suppliers can take as little as five working days thanks to Ofgem's Faster Switching scheme. 

But the process can take longer if you haven’t provided your new supplier with the details they need to complete the switch, or if your business is still under contract with an existing supplier.

Although you can start comparing prices as soon as your switching window opens, the switch won't actually take place until your current contract has ended. Even so, it's often worth locking your rates in as soon as your switching window opens as this can help protect against future price rises.

At Uswitch for Business, we can take care of the whole switching process for you, from gathering energy quotes across a large range of gas and electricity suppliers to negotiating a great deal. Our team’s expert knowledge means we’re best placed to talk you through the quotes that will match the specific needs of your business. We’ll also handle all the paperwork involved, meaning you can get back to what matters the most, running your business.

To find out how much Uswitch for Business could save your company, speak to one of our energy experts today on 0800 188 4930. Or if you prefer, leave your details at the top of the page and we’ll give you a call straight back.