If your business electricity contract is coming to an end or if you have not compared business electricity prices in the last 12 months you are almost certainly paying more than you need to. There is no Ofgem price cap protecting UK businesses. Your rate is set entirely by the supplier and changes with the market every single day. The only protection you have is to compare. Read our business electricity bills explained guide to understand exactly what drives your bill.
At BBC Utilities, we help UK businesses compare business electricity suppliers quickly, for free, and without any hassle. Our UK-based energy experts search live rates from our panel of trusted suppliers and handle the entire switch on your behalf. Most switches take no longer than three weeks, and your supply is never interrupted.
We believe businesses deserve real expert advice not a generic price list from a machine. Our process is simple: fill in a short form with your business details, and one of our UK-based energy experts will contact you directly with the best available electricity rates. Here is exactly how it works:
Before you submit your details, it helps to have the following to hand. You will find all of this on a recent electricity bill. If you are not sure how to read your bill, visit our business electricity bills guide for a full walkthrough:
Visit our Get a free business energy quote page and complete our short online form. It takes less than two minutes. We ask for your basic business and energy details, nothing complicated. Once submitted, your enquiry goes straight to our UK-based energy experts.
One of our UK-based energy specialists will reach out to you shortly after you submit your form by phone or email, whichever you prefer. They will have already searched live rates across our full panel of trusted UK electricity suppliers using your specific business details: your postcode, usage, meter type, and contract end date. There is no waiting around for an automated quote. You receive real, personalised advice from someone who genuinely understands the market.
When our expert presents your options, they will walk you through the key numbers clearly and honestly:
Once you are happy with your chosen deal, simply confirm it with our expert. From that point, BBC Utilities takes care of everything on your behalf. We contact your old supplier, manage all paperwork, and oversee the switch from start to finish. Your electricity supply is never interrupted at any point during the process. Most switches are completed within three weeks.
| Business Size | Annual Usage (MWh) | Avg. Rate excl. CCL (p/kWh) | Avg. Rate incl. CCL (p/kWh) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Very Small | 0 – 20 | 40.64p | 41.15p view detail... |
| Small | 20 – 499 | 27.57p | 28.27p view detail... |
| Small / Medium | 500 – 1,999 | 27.23p | 27.81p view detail... |
| Medium | 2,000 – 19,999 | 24.11p | 24.65p view detail... |
| Large | 20,000 – 69,999 | 22.46p | 23.01p view detail... |
| Very Large | 70,000 – 150,000 | 20.50p | 20.98p view detail... |
| Extra Large | 150,000 | 20.05p | 20.49p view detail... |
| UK Average All Businesses | All sizes | 22.96p | 23.47p view detail... |
Source: ofgem.gov.uk
These are averages only which means half of all UK businesses are already paying less than these figures. The best rates available right now can be significantly lower, especially if you fix for two or more years. To see live prices for your specific business size and location, get a free quote from BBC Utilities today.
The businesses paying the highest electricity rates in the UK are not necessarily the smallest ones, they are the ones who have not compared recently. Businesses on deemed rates or out-of-contract rates are almost always paying far more than they should be. Here is what each one means and why you need to avoid them:
A deemed rate applies when your business starts using electricity at a premises without signing a contract. This typically happens when you move into a new commercial building. The supplier has a legal obligation to continue supplying you, but since there is no agreed deal in place, they charge a much higher default rate, often two to three times more expensive than a negotiated contract. If you are unsure whether you are on a deemed rate, use our guide to find out who your business energy supplier is and contact us straight away.
Deemed rates are not negotiated. You have no say in the price. The only way to escape a deemed rate is to actively compare business electricity suppliers and sign a new contract as quickly as possible.
You are likely on a deemed rate if any of the following apply to your business:
An out-of-contract rate, sometimes called a rollover contract, kicks in when your fixed-term business electricity deal expires and you have not switched supplier or renewed. Your supplier simply continues supplying electricity but at a significantly higher rate. In some cases, you may also find yourself locked into a new contract term you did not actively agree to.
This is one of the most common and costly mistakes UK businesses make. Setting a reminder three to six months before your contract end date to compare business electricity prices is the single most effective way to avoid it. BBC Utilities sends proactive renewal alerts to all our customers so this never catches you off guard.
BBC Utilities is a trusted, independent UK energy consultancy. We are not a supplier we work entirely for you. Our service is free, our advice is impartial, and our only goal is to find your business the best available electricity deal in the market right now. Here is what makes us different:
we compare across our full panel of Ofgem-licensed UK suppliers, not just one or two
speak to a real specialist who understands the UK market, not an automated system
we handle all paperwork and manage the entire switch on your behalf
we alert you before your contract expires so you never get caught on expensive default rates again
we support businesses with one site or one hundred sites across the UK
Understanding the different tariff types before you compare business electricity suppliers helps you make a more informed choice. For a full breakdown of all commercial energy tariff options, see our gas and electricity tariffs guide. Here is a summary of the main electricity tariff types:
With a fixed-rate tariff, your unit rate per kWh is locked in for the duration of the contract typically one to four years. The amount you pay per unit will not change regardless of what happens to wholesale market prices during that period. This is the most popular choice for UK businesses because it makes budgeting straightforward and protects you from sudden price spikes. If you want price certainty, a fixed-rate deal is almost always the right choice.
A variable-rate tariff means your unit rate moves up and down in line with the wholesale energy market. Bills can fall when market prices drop but they can also rise sharply, especially during winter or periods of energy market volatility, as UK businesses experienced in 2021 and 2022. Variable tariffs suit businesses that are comfortable with that uncertainty and want to benefit from lower market prices when they occur.
A rollover contract begins automatically when your fixed-term deal expires without renewal. Your supplier continues to supply electricity at a much higher rate and in some cases, you are automatically locked into a new contract term. Rollover contracts are designed to benefit the supplier, not your business. Always compare and switch before your contract ends. BBC Utilities alerts all customers three to six months before their deal expires to make sure this never happens.
Yes and the difference is more significant than many businesses realise. As shown in the official government data table above, very small businesses pay over 40p/kWh on average while extra-large businesses pay around 20p/kWh. There are clear reasons for this gap.
Larger businesses consume far more electricity, which means they carry more value as customers for suppliers. They are more likely to negotiate directly, to use energy brokers, and to qualify for bulk pricing. Medium and large businesses also tend to commit to longer contracts, which suppliers reward with lower rates.
Smaller businesses use comparatively less electricity making bulk discounts rare and are statistically less likely to shop around for better deals. This means they often end up paying the highest per-unit rate in the market. If you run a small business, comparing business electricity prices is not just something worth doing, it is the primary lever you have for controlling this cost.
Whether you run a single-site cafe, a mid-sized office, a warehouse, or a multi-site retail chain, BBC Utilities compares electricity rates across the full market for your specific size and usage. See our business energy suppliers page for a full overview of the suppliers we work with, or get a free quote today.
Start comparing three to six months before your contract end date. This gives you the time to evaluate all options and switch to the best available deal without pressure. If you are within 49 days of your end date, you can switch at no cost no exit fees, no penalties. BBC Utilities monitors your contract dates and alerts you before this window opens so you never miss it.
Knowing your meter type matters when comparing business electricity. Standard and smart meters record usage in straightforward intervals. Half-hourly (HH) meters required for sites using more than 100,000 kWh per year record usage every 30 minutes and can unlock better-priced tariffs from certain suppliers. Find out more on our half-hourly meter guide to see if upgrading your meter could unlock better rates for your business.
Some UK energy suppliers offer lower combined rates when you take both gas and electricity from them. After comparing your electricity, it is well worth checking your business gas too. You may find the best combined deal saves more than the best individual electricity deal. Compare business gas prices for free with BBC Utilities today.
Even the cheapest electricity tariff is wasted if your business is using more energy than it needs to. A basic energy audit of your premises can reveal quick wins switching to LED lighting throughout the building, putting heating and air conditioning on a timer, ensuring equipment is turned off overnight, and improving insulation to reduce draughts. These changes add up to genuine annual savings on top of any tariff saving.
Energy reduction works best as a team effort. Encourage staff to shut down computers and screens at the end of the day rather than leaving them on standby. Remind them to turn off lights in empty rooms and to avoid unnecessary printing. Even small behavioural changes across a team of ten can reduce your electricity consumption meaningfully over the course of a year.