Competition among the business electricity suppliers in the UK is intense since the market was deregulated more than a decade ago. There are now well over 40 direct suppliers providing the UK’s companies with electricity and dozens more energy brokers.
For most business customers, there’s always a benefit in switching electricity supplier to help reduce your company’s fixed costs.
Who are the best business energy suppliers? With so many different suppliers and middlemen in the market, it’s difficult to tell. However, because competition for your custom is so intense, you can nearly always find a much better deal for your business.
Unlike the domestic electricity market, there is room for you (or your broker) to negotiate lower rates and to encourage your potential supplier to incentivise you further to persuade you to sign up to their service.
Want to work with us to find the best deal on business electricity for your company? Let our experts find out more about you and your company and we’ll search the market to find the best deal for you. To get started, simply fill out the form on the page.
In this article, we include:
- an easy-to-use list of business energy suppliers with headline details on their offers
- a reminder of why it’s crucial to remember your current contract end date
- the types of business electricity tariff
- what’s on the electricity bill you receive
- what you should discuss with a potential new supplier
- the pros and cons of using a specialist broker
- profiles of 39 of the UK’s current business electricity suppliers
- frequently asked questions about business electricity suppliers
List of business energy suppliers – electricity
Below we list 39 of the UK’s current business electricity suppliers. The Big Five are the dominant companies in the market. We have also listed smaller independent competitors and companies offering electricity exclusively derived from renewable sources.
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Affect Energy business electricity | Yes | 1 year | No | Yes | Independent |
| BES Utilities business electricity | Yes | 1-4 years | Yes (reviewed every 6 months) | Yes | Independent |
| Bristol Energy business electricity | Yes (24 months) | No tie in | – | Yes | Independent |
| British Gas business electricity | Yes | 1-3 years | – | Yes | Big Five |
| Bulb business electricity | No | No tie in | Yes (30 days’ notice if prices rise) | Yes | Renewable |
| Clear Business Energy business electricity | Yes | Up to 3 years | No | Yes | Independent |
| Corona Energy business electricity | Yes | Up to 3 years | Yes | Yes | Independent |
| D-ENERGi business electricity | Yes | Up to 3 years | No | Yes | Independent |
| E.ON business electricity | Yes | 1-4 years | No | Yes | Big Five |
| Ecotricity business electricity | Yes | No contract/exit fee | No | Yes | Renewable |
| EDF Energy business electricity | Yes | 1-4 years | Yes | Yes | Big Five |
| Engie business electricity | Yes | – | Yes | Yes | Renewable |
| F&S Energy business electricity | No | – | Yes | No | Renewable |
| Gazprom Energy business electricity | Yes | – | Yes | Yes | Independent |
| Good Energy business electricity | Yes | 12 or 24 months | Yes | Yes | Renewable |
| Green Energy UK business electricity | No | No fixed term, no exit fee | Yes | Yes | Renewable |
| Haven Power electricity | Yes | Variable | Yes | yes | Independent |
| Hudson Energy business electricity | Yes | 12-36 months | Yes | Yes | Renewable |
| MA Energy business electricity | Yes | Variable | Yes | Yes | Independent |
| Naturgy business electricity | Yes | Variable | Yes | Yes | Renewable |
| Npower business electricity | Yes | 12 months | Yes | Yes | Big Five |
| Octopus Energy business electricity | Yes | 12 and 24 months | Yes | Yes | Renewable |
| Opus Energy business electricity | Yes | 12-36 months | Yes | Yes | Independent |
| Ørsted business electricity | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Renewable |
| Ovo Energy business electricity | Yes | 12-24 months | Yes | Yes | Independent |
| PFP Energy business electricity | Yes | 12 months | Yes | Yes | Independent |
| Power NI business electricity | Yes | 12 or 24 months | Yes | Yes | Independent |
| Scottish Power business electricity | Yes | 12, 24, or 36 months | Yes | Yes | Big Five |
| Shell Energy business electricity | Yes | 12-36 months | Yes | Yes | Renewable |
| Smartest Energy business electricity | – | – | – | No | Renewable |
| SSE business electricity | Yes | Up to 5 years | Yes | Yes | Big Five |
| SSE Airtricity business electricity | Yes | Variable | Yes | Yes | Independent |
| Total Gas and Power business electricity | Yes | Up to 4 years | Yes | Yes | Renewable |
| United Gas and Power business electricity | Yes | 1-3 years | Yes | Yes | Independent |
| Utilita business electricity | No | No | Yes | Yes | Independent |
| Utility Warehouse business electricity | No | No | Yes | Yes | Independent |
| Vattenfall business electricity | Yes | Variable | Yes | Yes | Renewable |
| Yorkshire Gas and Power business electricity | Yes | 1-3 years | Yes | Yes | Independent |
| Yü Energy business electricity | Yes | 1-3 years | Yes | Yes | Independent |
Why you should always remember your contract termination date
Business electricity supply contracts are generally for longer terms than domestic electricity supply contracts. It’s much harder for businesses to swap suppliers than it is for consumers. There are no cooling-off periods on commercial electricity supply contracts.
You can only start looking around for a new supplier in the contracts renewal window – that’s normally between four to twenty-six weeks before the end of your contract.
Your broker or supplier is not likely to communicate with you during the renewal window to inform you that your contract is coming to an end.
If you allow the contract to continue, the “rollover” rates you pay will likely be far higher than you agreed to at the start of the contract. It is not unknown for suppliers and brokers to extend a client’s contract at these much higher rates for a further term of at least 12 months if you do not cancel it.
The situation for microbusinesses is slightly different in that those on fixed-term contracts should receive a renewal letter from their supplier 60 days before the end of contract.
Within the letter, the supplier should include information on their current prices, your annual consumption, and on any new prices they propose to charge you if you renew.
Just as with your home and car insurance, if you do not respond to the renewal letter, your contract will almost certainly be extended and you will be charged at the rate in the renewal letter.
If you do issue a cancellation notice but you have not found a new supplier, your existing supplier will continue to supply you at “out of contract” or “deemed” rates. These rates are often even higher than the rates that you would have been charged had you allowed the renewal of the contract to occur with your existing supplier.
Make a note of your contract termination date and then set yourself a reminder for three months before. Use that time to find a new contract featuring a price you’re happy to pay and ask that supplier to start the switching process. You should assume that the switching process will take between four to six weeks.
Please bear in mind though that the switch will not actually happen until the day that you current supply contract ends and that the switch may be further delayed if you owe money to your existing supplier.
Business electricity suppliers and their tariffs – good to know
There are multiple variations on business electricity contracts and tariffs as you can see below.
Fixed rate business electricity tariffs
With a fixed rate business electricity tariff, the electricity you purchase stays at the same price per unit (kWh) for the whole term of the contract.
In general, a supplier may require you to sign up for a minimum period of one year so that you can benefit from the fixed price. You may also be offered the opportunity to fix the price for up to 5 years.
Variable business electricity tariffs
The price you pay for electricity on a variable contract moves up and down with the wholesale market price your supplier pays.
Please bear in mind that many suppliers buy electricity at a fixed price for a period of a year or more as a way of better internal cost control. This means that, while the market price for electricity might fall, it may be a while before you see a reduction on the price you’re paying appearing on your bill.
Variable pricing contracts tend to be a lot shorter in length than fixed price contracts and you can often exit a contract without having to pay a cancellation charge.
Flexible business electricity tariffs
Primarily used by larger companies whose electricity usage is high enough to attract competitive wholesale rates, flexible business contracts involve the bulk purchase of energy before your company actually uses it.
Understanding how much electricity and the “type” of electricity you need is very difficult to work out. A company may end up paying far more for its electricity than it needs if the price falls after they have purchased the electricity from the market.
Business electricity supply and smart meters
Smart meter contracts, sometimes known as “half-hourly” contracts, are for heavy users of electricity. The installation of a meter and the taking of reading every half hour means that your bill will be more accurate when issued.
Green electricity
Green electricity, sometimes known as eco electricity, is electricity that your supplier has purchased from generation companies using renewables – like wind power, tidal power, solar power, and so on.
Traditionally, green electricity contracts have been much more expensive than standard electricity contracts. There is still a difference however the margin has greatly reduced in recent years.
Cancellation fees
If you attempt to leave a contract early, you are likely to incur a cancellation or termination penalty from your current supplier unless your business ceases trading or you move premises.
If you do have to pay a cancellation or termination charge, please make sure that it is still financially justifiable for you to switch suppliers before committing to a course of action.
Should I just use a business utility broker instead?
Brokers work with a subset of Britain’s business gas and electricity suppliers – very few, if any, deal with every supplier so you’re unlikely to have access to the whole of the market if you choose to use a broker.
How do brokers work?
In fact, many utility brokers are funded directly by business electricity and gas suppliers. How? For many suppliers, their primary way of finding new customers is through brokers – most brokers are essentially sales organisations whose management and owners have chosen gas and electricity as their product.
So much so that many business electricity and gas suppliers will actually fund the expansion of the brokers they work with by lending them money against future commission payments. This gives brokers the expansion capital and working capital they need to grow.
Not all brokers use this model to expand. However, for most brokers, they will be offered incentives by business electricity and gas suppliers on the volume of energy they sell to corporate customers. The more they sell, the lower the rate they pay for each unit of gas and electricity.
Brokers normally operate on a cost-plus model – so, if they buy one kWh for 10p, for example, they can choose to sell it for 11p, 12p, or whatever they want.
Should I be wary of brokers?
You should exercise the same caution choosing who to advise you to purchase electricity and gas from for your company that you should use on all aspects of your business’s expenditure.
There are unscrupulous brokers who have duped companies into signing up to some truly awful deals – that is true. However, the ferocity of competition between brokers and suppliers selling their own electricity and gas direct has meant that the profit margins in the industry are not particularly high.
It might be an idea to ask more than one broker to work on your deal. That’s because each broker will work with their own set of suppliers, you’ll also probably get access to a wider range of suppliers this way.
What determines the rate I pay for my electricity?
There are a number of different factors including:
- volume – how much electricity you use
- location – electricity costs different amounts to deliver to business premises in different parts of the country
- line of business – what your company does
- historical volume of use of electricity – if that information is not available, an estimate is made based on the size of your premises and your line of business
- your company’s legal structure – limited company, sole trader, or partnership
- the perceived credit risk – if the supplier believes that there is a higher than average likelihood of not being able to make payments to them in full and on time, you will be charged more
- broker margin – if you use a broker, what margin they put on the contract. However please remember that their unit rate (covered below) will be more competitive because of the volume of business they provide to a supplier.
If you intend to move premises in the near future, please let your supplier or broker know so that they can give you the shortest possible contact. In addition, if yours is a seasonal business which only trades for part of the year, share that information so that you get a shorter contract time.
You may also achieve an additional discount if your business consumes electricity at off-peak hours like early in the morning or at night-time. You should go into as much detail as possible if this is true for your business because you could achieve further savings on future bills as a result.
What’s on a business electricity bill?
Most commercial electricity bills feature two elements – the unit rate and the standing charge.
Unit rate
The unit rate is the amount that you pay for each unit of electricity used by your company. Kilowatt hours (kWh) are the units of measurement of electricity consumption – your unit rate might be 8p per kWh.
Standing charge
The standing charge is a fixed daily rate for the provision of electricity to your premises, regardless of how much or little electricity you actually use.
There are tariffs available without a standing charge however this does not mean that, when electricity usage is taken into consideration, that your company will be paying any less
Business electricity supplier profiles
Affect Energy
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Affect Energy business electricity | Yes | 1 year | No | Yes | Independent |
Affect Energy promise to offer their cheapest tariffs to everyone, not just new customers. They regularly run fixed price promotions on business electricity with no more than one year’s sign-up required.
Appreciating the complexity of the business energy marketplace, they and their advisors do everything they can to take the jargon out of electricity and to give you the information you need in a way that you understand. Their team has a combined experience of 50 years between them.
They pledge to work hard to ensure that the 17 day switchover period is met however they do warn that they may need a few more days if you sign up for their service via a broker.
They offer both fixed and variable tariffs and, if you don’t contact them at the end of your term, they’ll automatically switch you to their variable tariff. When that happens, they’ll write to you with your new rates.
More on the Affect Energy business electricity service here.
BES Utilities
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| BES Utilities business electricity | Yes | 1-4 years | Yes (reviewed every 6 months) | Yes | Independent |
Based in Fleetwood in Lancashire, BES Utilities is part of a family of independently owned companies and it provides electricity and gas supply services to businesses across the UK.
They have developed a range of energy products at competitive prices to suit businesses large and small and across a different number of sectors. They also have an open mind when working with business owners and businesses with a low credit score – the only request they make is that, if this is you, you pay by direct debit.
For their electricity customers, they offer:
- 1yr-3yr fixed and variable price contracts
- 1yr-5yr market tracker variable price contracts (reviewed every six months with a view to, in the company’s words, “pay a price reflecting what is happening in the wider energy market. When the price does change, they’ll let you know in advance
Their business electricity can opt to have a free smart meter installed – the regular readings sent back automatically to BES HQ will ensure that you receive the most accurate bills.
More on the BES Utilities business electricity service here.
British Gas
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| British Gas business electricity | Yes | 1-3 years | Yes | Yes | Big Five |
One of the Big Five UK energy suppliers, British Gas supplies energy to more than 350,000 UK businesses. All customers are now entitled to claim a smart meter as well so that they can monitor their electricity use and to help British Gas supply them with more accurate usage bills.
A bespoke service is offered by British Gas to their larger industrial and commercial customers with a focus on energy reduction through renewable heating.
British Gas isn’t just about energy supply though. All customer benefit from a free boiler service and their engineers are there to assist with new commercial boiler installation, maintenance, and service, business drainage, and business plumbing.
British Gas’s core electricity supply offerings are:
- fixed term contracts with a guaranteed unit price for between 1 and 3 years
- flexible/variable rate with unit prices that can move up or down (this tends to cost more than the fixed rate option)
- 30 day Rolling Energy Plan – variable price plan with 30 days
- Green business energy plan – for companies using more than 100,000 kW of gas or electricity
- Commercial landlords – fixed or flexible contracts with opportunity to manage energy for their commercial properties in one place with BG’s online account management
More on the British Gas business electricity service here.
Bulb
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Bulb business electricity | No | No tie in | Yes (30 days’ notice if prices rise) | Yes | Renewable |
Launched in London in 2015, Bulb has quickly established itself as Britain’s biggest supplier of green energy with all of its electricity coming from 100% renewable source. For every unit of electricity your business consumes, they add an extra unit of capacity at a partner hydro, wind, solar power generator.
They also offer gas which is 100% carbon neutral and Bulb invests in carbon reduction projects in the UK and around the world.
Bulb promise that it will never charge a client an exit fee and all of their customer services teams are based here in Britain.
They offer no fixed price option meaning that, when their costs rise or fall, what you pay for your electricity rises or falls. In the event of a price rise, you only have to provide 30 days’ notice to the company if you want to leave their service.
More on the Bulb business electricity service here.
Clear Business Energy
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Clear Business Energy business electricity | Yes | Up to 3 years | No | Yes | Independent |
Part of the Verastar Group, Verastar was originally a water provider based in Scotland which has, in recent years, expanded its range of products and services to offer green electricity, greener gas, phone lines, broadband, mobile phones, and business and domestic insurance.
They have been trading for over 20 years and they now supply over 160,000 businesses and homes.
With Clear Business Energy, you can fix your electricity prices for three years. When business customers switch suppliers, they often manage to cut their new customers’ bills in half.
More on the Clear Business Energy business electricity service here.
Corona Energy
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Corona Energy business electricity | Yes | Up to 3 years | Yes | Yes | Independent |
Corona is a big name in energy – it now accounts for 14% of the commercial and industrial gas supply market, its customer service teams look after its 13,000 customers, and its on-the-road team is responsible for the maintenance and repair of 85,000 meters.
For business clients, Corona offers a Performance Pledge so that it can keep its promise of delivering world class service. Should you be disappointed by any aspect of their performance, there is a powerful complaints handling team in the company capable of affecting change quickly.
Both fixed and variable rates are on offer to customers for up to 36 months with the additional benefits of a range of payment options, discounts for direct debit customers, paperless billing, and automated meter readings.
More on the Corona Energy business electricity service here.
D-ENERGi
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| D-ENERGi business electricity | Yes | Up to 3 years | No | Yes | Independent |
Specialising in the retail, manufacturing, hospitality, education, and care home sector, D-ENERGi aim is to provide the most competitive prices to its customers not only during their initial contract phrase but also when a contract is up for renewal.
Uniquely among business energy supplier, they have a price match policy so that no existing customer pays more than a new customer – it’s their drive to make their clients “feel valued”.
D-ENERGi has its own VAT & Climate Change Levy (CCL) Energy Rebates team which does its best to ensure that its client base does not pay the higher rate of VAT or make climate change levy contributions unnecessarily.
The company offers:
- fixed price contracts
- half-hourly electricity tariffs where their aim is to beat the prices offers by the Big Five
- setting up of MOP (Meter Operator) and DCA (Data Collector Agreements)
- help to switch suppliers
More on the D-ENERGi business electricity service here.
E.ON
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| E.ON business electricity | Yes | 1-4 years | No | Yes | Big Five |
The second largest energy supplier in the UK, E.ON was founded in 1989 as Powergen. In 2002, Germany energy giant E.ON bought Powergen and rebranded it.
Business electricity clients benefit from fixed unit rates throughout their contracts, the ability to manage their accounts online, energy efficiency advice, cost control plans, sourcing from renewable energy sources, and a 7% discount on monthly direct debit payments (5% for quarterly payments).
Fixed price contracts are available for between one year and four years.
E.ON has a number of specialist divisions offering business electricity, gas, and general energy solutions to the manufacturing, retail, hospitality and leisure, warehousing and logistics, education, and healthcare sectors as well as to commercial real estate and offices and to local authorities.
More on the E.ON business electricity service here.
Ecotricity
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Ecotricity business electricity | Yes | No contract/exit fee | No | Yes | Renewable |
Back in 1996, Ecotricity became the world’s first green energy company – a good decade or more before it became clear that we needed to take action on climate change. When they launched, electricity accounted for 30% of Britain’s carbon emissions so, as a result, Ecotricity’s driven and ethical founders chose to concentrate on changing people’s minds about the true cost of conventional power generation.
Their electricity production is also vegan meaning that no animals or animal by-products are used in the production of the electricity they distribute to clients.
They offer both their green business electricity and gas products at one simple rate. You don’t have to commit to using their services for any longer than you want (essentially Ecotricity is pay as you go) and there are no exit fees.
More on the Ecotricity business electricity service here.
EDF Energy
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| EDF Energy business electricity | Yes | 1-4 years | Yes | Yes | Big Five |
EDF believes that “together, we can create a cleaner, low-carbon future” and, on their website, they declare themselves to be the UK’s largest producer of low-carbon electricity.
They are currently installing smart meters into home and businesses across the UK allowing customers to better understand how they use electricity so that they can make positive steps to reduce how much they consume.
Like E.ON, they offer clients a 7% discount for paying monthly by direct debit and they offer UK-based customer support services around the clock.
They offer both fixed and variable rate tariffs to business clients. Companies are free to leave or to switch to another product or supplier on the variable tariffs.
On the fixed tariff, they provide customers with unit rates fixed for up to 4 years “usually cheaper than [their] variable tariff”.
More on the EDF Energy business electricity service here.
Energia
Energia supplies 22% of Northern Ireland’s businesses with electricity. Energia business customers based in Northern Ireland have now been transferred to Power NI, Energia’s sister brand in Northern Ireland.
More on the Energia business electricity service here.
Engie
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Engie business electricity | Yes | Varies | Yes | Yes | Renewable |
17,000 people work for Engie in the supply and production of electricity to businesses and homes in the UK and Ireland.
For business electricity customers, their current packages are:
a flexible Standard variable tariff (SVT) – no fixed end date, easy to switch, no exit fee
a Long Term fixed price tariff
a Prepayment Pay As You Go energy tariff – variable rates, no fixed end date, prepayment meter required
a short term fixed price tariff
They employ teams of specialists providing services for central government, corporates, digital & media companies, healthcare providers, manufacturers, small businesses, the transport sector, and for visitor destinations.
More on the Engie business electricity service here.
F&S Energy
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| F&S Energy business electricity | No | – | Yes | No | Renewable |
F&S Energy’s business model is based around the bulk purchase of power from the UK’s renewable generation companies. By buying in bulk, they offer some of the UK’s most competitive green electricity prices.
They only supply business customers and they have invested heavily in their after-sales teams later to provide clients with “top levels of customer service for all”.
Clients are allocated a dedicated account manager who will know you and your business and be responsible for the smooth handling of all your interactions with the company.
More on the F&S Energy business electricity service here.
Gazprom Energy
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Gazprom Energy business electricity | Yes | – | Yes | Yes | Independent |
Gazprom is a significant international generator of electricity – did you know that its parent company is responsible for 13% of all gas production around the world.
Gazprom have a significant UK presence with over 300 people based at their Manchester UK HQ – all clients are served by customer services team based in the city. Here in Britain, the company supplier commercial and industrial clients as well as many public sector organisations.
All of Gazprom’s eligible customers are entitled to receive a free smart meters as well as access to the company’s sophisticated online customer portal.
For business electricity customers in the UK, the following tariffs are available:
- fixed-rate contracts bespoke to individual small to medium sized businesses.
- pass-through contracts for businesses wanting flexibility and greater control of their energy costs.
- flexible purchasing contracts – help to ensure that your company buys electricity when pricing is at its most advantageous.
More on the Gazprom Energy business electricity service here.
Good Energy
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Good Energy business electricity | Yes | 12 or 24 months | Yes | Yes | Renewable |
Good Energy Group is a supplier of 100% green gas and electricity to businesses and homes across the UK using renewable electricity it both purchases from others and generates itself. The company’s mission to “be part of a sustainable solution to climate change”.
They currently do not publish details of their tariffs online.
More on the Good Energy business electricity service here.
Green Energy UK
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Green Energy UK business electricity | No | No fixed term, no exit fee | Yes | Yes | Renewable |
Selling 100% Ofgem-certified green and renewable electricity to public sector organisations, charities, business, and homes across England, Wales, and Scotland, Green Energy does not ties its clients in with contracts and it charges no exit fees.
You can manage your account online and, to provide the best customer service possible, call menus are banned. When your call is answered, it’ll be a real person you’re speaking to. 98% of calls to Green Energy are answered within 30 seconds 9am-5pm Monday to Friday – and real people still pick up after hours.
Green Energy offer a variable rate pay as you go service – their pricing is transparent and clear and, should you find a better deal elsewhere, you can switch to a new supplier without fuss, hassle, or delay.
In the last twelve months, Green Energy UK have started to offer business customers “a clear and simple agreement with competitive and transparent prices fixed for up to 2 years with no hidden costs” (their words).
More on the Green Energy UK business electricity service here.
Haven Power
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Haven Power electricity | Yes | Variable | Yes | Yes | Independent |
Haven provides “tailored electricity products for every type of business” and the company is working towards the use of renewable energy to forge a better future for the planet.
Haven is part of the Drax group – Drax also provide power generation through the use of compressed and responsibly sourced wood pellets. Use of these wood pellets produces 86% less carbon than electricity that’s been generated by coal.
The following two business electricity supply products are available through Haven:
- Fixed tariff – secure your prices up-front for business consuming less than 2 GWh because, with energy use at that level, customers are unlikely to save money by tracking energy price movements
- Flex tariff – designed for companies consuming more than 2GWh when the price you pay will reflect rising or falling prices on the market
More on the Haven Power electricity service here.
MA Energy
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| MA Energy business electricity | Yes | Variable | Yes | Yes | Independent |
MA Energy supplies electricity exclusively to businesses offering bespoke and competitor tariffs to best match their client’s current and future needs.
They offer clients a dedicated account manager, customised tariff and pricing structures, easy to understand and accurate billing, and exceptionally high levels of customer support and service delivered by knowledgeable and highly qualified members of staff.
Their business philosophy is based around collaboration to achieve the best outcomes for all parties, efficiency, and dependability.
More on the MA Energy business electricity service here.
Naturgy
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Naturgy business electricity | Yes | Variable | Yes | Yes | Renewable |
Established in 2003, Naturgy supplies energy services, renewables, electricity, and natural gas to large energy users in the UK, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Their six main trading principles are customer focus, collaboration, thinking ahead, agility, a pioneering attitude, and a commitment to the environment.
Naturgy offers clients the promise that they can pay wholesale prices for electricity and gas. They do this by altering their unit prices on a half-hourly basis and charging you at that rate.
Their tracker product, “Naturgy Shield” allows you to fix some or all of your electricity pricing for day parts (daytime, evening, overnight) so that you can lock in the best prices during the periods of the day when you actually use electricity the most.
Npower
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Npower business electricity | Yes | 12 months | Yes | Yes | Big Five |
Npower is one of the UK’s larger generators and suppliers of electricity and gas to businesses and homes in the UK.
Npower’s recent corporate focus has been on helping its clients to better use the energy they consume. By doing so, they’ve helped clients save between 10% and 20% on their electricity bills without having to swap tariff or suppliers.
They were recently purchased by E.ON and their website does not show any current tariff options. For your convenience however, the following two paragraphs contain the last known information on nPower’s tariffs.
As well as variable price pay as you go options, Npower also offers fixed-term contracts. Clients are assisted by experts based in UK call centres and the company has its own team of dedicated switching handlers.
On their fixed price deal, you’ll benefit from paying the lowest price on the day your account went live for 12 months. You can manage your account online (including meter reading submission and the payment of bills) plus you and your staff will be able to take part in the company’s Business Rewards scheme offering discounted office suppliers, money off meals, and holiday savings.
More on the Npower business electricity service here.
Octopus Energy
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Octopus Energy business electricity | Yes | 12 and 24 months | Yes | Yes | Renewable |
Established in August 2015, Octopus Energy has recently entered into an energy procurement deal with Shell for its 198,000 customers.
Octopus wants to make the customer experience as pain-free and enjoyable as possible – simple bills, world-class customer services, and transparent and fair pricing.
On their variable rate contracts, you can leave at any time if you see a better deal for your business. If you want more certainty about the price you’re going to pay for your electricity, you can sign up for minimum duration period at a fixed rate.
More on the Octopus Energy business electricity service here.
Opus Energy
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Opus Energy business electricity | Yes | 12-36 months | Yes | Yes | Independent |
Opus is the UK’s 6th biggest business energy supplier in the UK supplying 368,000 businesses.
All of Opus’s electricity now comes from zero carbon sources – a direct response to the demands of their customers. The company is very focused on the delivery of the best service to its clients – they tailor their offerings as much as possible to fit individual business’s needs and they recently launched their “Brighter Business Advice Hub” designed to help clients improve profitability and cut costs.
For smaller businesses, they can fix their energy price for a period of between 12 and 36 months. Flexible pricing options are available for larger businesses (including trading structures like percentage of volume, shape fees, and megawatt blocks) – higher-spending clients also have access to their own account manager who can provide analysis and reporting on your electricity usage.
Their energy is now 100% renewable electricity and, to help companies promote their green credentials to their customers, Opus offers a digital certification, social icons, and buttons “to help promote your sustainability profile”.
More on the Opus Energy business electricity service here.
Ørsted
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Ørsted business electricity | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Renewable |
Ørsted delivers renewable energy to UK business at no additional premium to electricity which has been generated using carbon-intensive methods. Their advisors are on hand to help you make smarter and cheaper energy choices for your company – they want to help you become more cost-efficient and greener in line with your corporate social responsibility policies.
At the end of their contract terms, 92% of Ørsted’s customers choose to stay with the company – that’s very high in an industry that’s well known for its churn rate.
They are currently building what they called “the world’s biggest offshore wind farm” in an attempt to cut the unit price by another 35-40%. This will help to make renewable energy the preferred financial choice to business as well as the preferred moral choice.
They currently offer four tariffs to clients –
- Fixed price contract – for businesses keen to stay within a budget
- Flexible price products – for companies who believe that the unit price of electricity will reduce
- Power Purchase Agreement – a supply contract lasting between 3 months and 15 years.
- Deemed rates – when you relocate to premises currently supplied by Ørsted.
More on the Ørsted business electricity service here.
Ovo Energy
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Ovo Energy business electricity | Yes | 12-24 months | Yes | Yes | Independent |
Based in Bristol, Spark provides gas and electricity to 4% of homes and businesses across England, Wales, and Scotland. It will soon take on SSE’s customers – it’s not the first time Ovo has done this after they onboarded the customers of the failed Spark Energy back in 2018.
They have spun off their prepayment meter service into a new company called Boost Energy.
If your account is in credit with Ovo, you’ll earn up to 5% interest. They’re also launching a customer education programme called OVO Beyond to help clients reduce their bills and save energy.
More on the Ovo Energy business electricity service here.
PFP Energy
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| PFP Energy business electricity | Yes | 12 months | Yes | Yes | Independent |
Marketing its service on its “very transparent” pricing, PFP offers commercial energy solutions to companies in addition to its supply of electricity and gas.
They offer incentives for payment by direct debit and, when renewal time arrives, they aim to keep as many customers as possible by providing them with a very competitive quote. Their pricing model is based around a bespoke solution for each client and their needs – the pricing itself is done by an experienced team of operations and customer services representatives. Customers can manage and view their account online at any time.
Fixed term contracts are offered for a period of 12 months only. Half-hourly metering options are also available for larger users.
More on the PFP Energy business electricity service here.
Power NI
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Power NI business electricity | Yes | 12 or 24 months | Yes | Yes | Independent |
Part of the Viridian Group, the largest independent supplier of energy to the all-Ireland market, Power NI (formerly Northern Ireland Electricity) has a wide variety of tariffs available for business electricity customers in Northern Ireland.
They offer:
- the “Popular” tariff – for retailers, office-based companies & and businesses working from premises with 9-5 opening hours
- the “Nightsaver” tariff – for food retailers, locations with chillers and fridges, and companies with storage heating
- the “Weekender” tariff – for companies which are open mainly in the evenings & at the weekend
They also provide:
- a variable price plan with a loyalty discount if you agree to a 1 or 2 year contract
- a fixed price plan offering a loyalty discount if you agree a 1 year contract
- a green energy plan offering a loyalty discount if you agree to 1 or 2 year contract
More on the Power NI business electricity service here.
Scottish Power
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Scottish Power business electricity | Yes | 12, 24, or 36 months | Yes | Yes | Big Five |
ScottishPower are part of the Iberdrola – a world leading integrated utility companies and one of the world’s foremost generators of electricity from wind energy.
ScottishPower only generate green electricity and it invests over £4m a day to improve and expand its generation business.
The company is one of the Big Five – they supply over 5 million households and businesses across the UK.
Their three main tariffs are:
- Business Fixed (1, 2 or 3 years)
- Online account management
- Energy efficiency advice provided through a partnership with The Carbon Trust.
- Fixed price for up to 3 years
- Standard Fixed
- Provided to out of contract customers who don’t terminate or opt in at renewal
- Move to a new provider or product at any time with no exit fees (30 day cancellation period)
- Standard Variable (price can go up or down at any time)
- Prices often higher than fixed term products
- Move to a new provider or product at any time with no exit fees (30 day cancellation period)
More on the Scottish Power business electricity service here.
Shell Energy
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Shell Energy business electricity | Yes | 12-36 months | Yes | Yes | Renewable |
Shell Energy supplies 100% renewable electricity at competitive prices to businesses of all sizes. They’re able to tailor their plans to match a client’s needs – small businesses looking for fixed rate contracts and larger business wanting something more flexible.
Clients are provided with a dedicated adviser for their account and they’re able to purchase additional energy-related services and products aimed at making businesses more cost- and energy-efficient.
For companies spending less than £50,000 on energy, the company recommends their fixed all-inclusive contract where fees are agreeable up front.
For companies spending more than £50,000, they offer two contracts. A fixed all inclusive optio with bespoke renewable options or a pass-throgh contract allowing you to fixed what you pay for your energy and to choose which distribution and transmission charges are passed onto you.
More on the Shell Energy business electricity service here.
SmartestEnergy
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| SmartestEnergy business electricity | – | – | – | No | Renewable |
SmartestEnergy wants to change the way that businesses think about and consume electricity. Their belief is that the energy mix of the future should be smarter, more flexible, and more renewable. In addition to being a licensed electricity supplier to larger British companies, they also provide Power Purchase Agreements to independent generation company.
They believe that the best way to help businesses find the right supplier and tariff for them is to better understand what your business does and then to devise an energy strategy to match those objectives.
SmartestEnergy recently announced their purchase of Dual Energy, the supplier of smart meter to British businesses.
The company’s current range of tariffs are as follows:
- SmartFix (1, 2, 3, or 5 years) – complete protection against whole energy price movements (collection by Direct Debit only)
- SmartTracker (3 years) – lowest price for 12 months and then reviewed year or year with price promise guarantee
- Smartpay (1, 2, or 3 years) – fix rates for up to 3 years with up to a 40% against competitor variable tariffs
More on the Smartest Energy business electricity service here.
SSE
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| SSE business electricity | Yes | Up to 5 years | Yes | Yes | Big Five |
Based in Perth, Scotland, SSE provides energy to businesses in the UK and Ireland. It generates and supplies its own electricity and gas, it’s heavily involved in all aspects of energy related services, and it operates its own gas and telecommunications networks.
It used to have its own substantial domestic energy supplier business however that was sold off to SSE in late 2019.
SSE offers fixed, variable, flexible, and green electricity supplier contracts to British businesses.
More on the SSE business electricity service here.
SSE Airtricity
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| SSE Airtricity business electricity | Yes | Variable | Yes | Yes | Independent |
A wholly-owned subsidiary of SSE plc, SSE Airtricity is Northern Ireland’s second largest energy provider. It supplies 350,000 businesses and homes with energy-related services, natural gas, and greener electricity.
More on the SSE Airtricity business electricity service here.
Total Gas and Power
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Total Gas and Power business electricity | Yes | Up to 4 years | Yes | Yes | Renewable |
Part of the Total Group of businesses, Total Gas & Power delivers gas and electricity to tens of thousands of industrial, commercial and business customers.
They offer a mixture of different contract and tariff types of businesses.
On their Standard Variable tariff, you only have to give 30 days’ notice if you spot a better deal for your business elsewhere. Fixed rate tariffs are offered for a period of between 1 year and 4 years – there is also an Eco-Energy version of the fixed rate tariff available.
More on the Total Gas and Power business electricity service here.
United Gas and Power
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| United Gas and Power business electricity | Yes | 1-3 years | Yes | Yes | Independent |
Based in Leeds, UGP focus on providing business customers with the right tariffs for their needs and on delivering world-class customer services to clients during their time with the company. It seems to have worked – the company has a coveted 5* TrustPilot rating.
Their service is built around your relationship with your own dedicated account manager. They offer easy and quick access to every aspect of the management of your energy account.
For business electricity customers, the company offers:
- smart meter installation free of charge
- reductions on electricity charges by up to 70%
- further discount if you take out a gas supply contract at the same time
- no standing charges of your account
More on the United Gas and Power business electricity service here.
Utilita Energy
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Utilita business electricity | No | No | Yes | Yes | Independent |
Utilita have expanded rapidly recent years to become one of the biggest suppliers of gas and electricity to business and homes. 1 year ago, they had a 6.6 out of 10 rating on TrustPilot – now that’s gone up to 8.6 out of 10
Utilita will not ask you for a deposit nor will they refuse service to a microbusiness because of a poor credit rating.
They claim to be able to reduce your electricity bills by up to 70% and their standard packages carry no standing charges.
More on the Utilita business electricity service here.
Utility Warehouse
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Utility Warehouse business electricity | No | No | Yes | Yes | Independent |
A brand name of multi-utility provider Telecom Plus, Utility Warehouse currently works with over 600,000 business and homes offering electricity, gas, broadband, mobile telephone, and landline telephony to their clients.
More on the Utility Warehouse business electricity service here.
Vattenfall
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Vattenfall business electricity | Yes | Variable | Yes | Yes | Renewable |
Founded in 1909 as a state-owned Swedish enterprise. 20,000 employees across Europe supply businesses across the continent with electricity and heat from gas, coal, nuclear, solar, biomass, hydro, and wind power.
The company’s five business principles enshrine the customer at the very centre of the delivery of their services:
- flexible products so that clients can better manage your energy costs
- electricity generated only from UK-based renewables sources
- sustainable electricity consumption and customer education
- you’re in control of your electricity supply
- a commitment to real cost transparency
There are four tariffs for customers to choose from:
- Fix – control your energy expenditure with no need to worry about the prospect of rising wholesale electricity prices.
- Flex – manage your energy costs quickly and easily
- Flex Manager – purchase your electricity for your entire half-hourly metered portfolio.
- Flex Expert – complete control over your electricity procurement via Vattenfall’s trading portal for your entire half-hourly metered portfolio.
More on the Vattenfall business electricity service here.
Yorkshire Gas and Power
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Yorkshire Gas and Power business electricity | Yes | 1-3 years | Yes | Yes | Independent |
Formed in 2009, Yorkshire Gas and Power guaranteed to beat your current supplier’s renewal prices or they’d give you £100 back (subject to satisfactory credit rating and the contract end date being no more than 120 days away). We can’t find that pledge on their website anymore however they do seem to be very price-focused so it may well be worth asking them to quote you either direct or via your broker.
More on the Yorkshire Gas and Power business electricity service here.
Yü Energy
| Supplier Name | Fixed price option | Fixed contract length | Variable price option | Supply gas? | Type |
| Yü Energy business electricity | Yes | 1-3 years | Yes | Yes | Independent |
One of the UK’s fastest growing suppliers, Yü are on a mission “to shake up the UK business energy market”.
They promise “lightning-quick” service to customers, a dedicated relationship manager, bespoke energy plans, very competitive pricing, 100% renewable energy, and outstanding customer care.
Yü offer bespoke plans for SMEs on both a fixed price and variable price and, for microbusinesses at the time of renewal, they’ll be moved to the company’s Freedom Energy Plan.
More on the Yü Energy business electricity service here.
Business electricity suppliers FAQ
Is there a dual fuel discount? My preferred supplier also provides gas
Most of Britain’s business electricity suppliers are also business gas suppliers. However, unlike with the domestic market, there are no dual fuel contracts available for companies.
If you take both electricity and gas from one supplier, you will have separate contracts for each.
How much could my business save by switching supplier?
Depending on the contract you’re currently signed up to, you can save a significant amount of money by switching suppliers, especially if your company has unintentionally been committed to and is currently paying expensive rollover rates.
As with every other purchasing decision you make for your business, you should only sign up to a new supplier if you actually save money.
Will there be disruption to my business during the switchover?
There will be no disruption at all. All that will change is the logo on top of the bill you receive, the price you’re paying, and the bank account into which you pay your bills.
Is it worth all the trouble? My business electricity bills aren’t that high.
That’s a commercial decision for you however we always believe it’s better to have as much money in our bank account than some of it needlessly be in another company’s bank account!
What information will I need to supply a potential broker or supplier with?
To help your supplier or broker be able to produce a more accurate quote for you, you should supply them with:
- the name of your current electricity supplier,
- what tariff you’re currently on,
- what your end date is,
- your supply type,
- your company’s electricity usage and, if possible,
- your meter number.
Can I get the feed-in tariff if my business premises already has solar panels?
If your solar panels were installed by an accredited installer and you registered for the feed-in tariff scheme prior the closure of the program to new applicants on 1st April 2019, you will continue to be paid for the excess electricity you produce which you then sell back to the National Grid.
What VAT rate is payable on business electricity?
Although VAT charged on domestic electricity is set at 5%, businesses must normally pay the standard rate of VAT on their electricity bills. That rate is currently 20%.
Do I really have to sign up for a year?
Some electricity suppliers are offering six-month contracts to clients – they can be useful if you are planning to move premises or if your business is new and you’re wary about committing yourself to a contract for too long.
Comparing business electricity suppliers
Navigating your way around the business electricity supply market is difficult but, given that nearly every company needs to use it, it makes financial sense to make sure that you’re paying as little as possible for it.
There are many strong arguments for using a broker – they are likely to save you money and a lot of time. However, as we mentioned earlier, to give yourself as much choice as possible, it may be worth engaging more than one during the period that you’re seeking a new and better deal.
It’s also really important to always remember what the end date of your current and future agreements are to avoid being trapped into a further 12 months of supply at rollover rates.
If you’d like our team to find the best deal for you from a wide range of suppliers, please fill in the form at the top of the page. Our service is free and you’re under no obligation to use our services.