Business energy prices are constantly changing, which means finding best commercial energy deals can take time and effort that would be better spent on your business.

That’s where our energy experts can help.

Just give us your postcode and we’ll use smart data to work out your energy usage and find the best business energy tariffs in minutes. We’ll run you through the options over a quick call, then all you need to do is choose the deal that best suits your business. We’ll then take care of the rest, letting both your old and new suppliers know about the switch.

When working out the best deal for your business, we don’t just take into account which supplier is offering the best price we also look for features that could make life a little easier, such as online billing and great customer service, so you can be confident you’re getting the complete package.

And we won’t charge your business a penny for comparing business energy prices or switching supplier - our service is completely free of charge to all businesses.

Business energy quotes vary between suppliers, each of which will offer you rates based on an assessment of your business that takes into account everything from energy consumption to business location.

When designing your business energy costs, supplier will consider:

• The size of your business.
• The industry it operates in.
• Its average annual energy consumption.
• Its location and number of sites.
• The number of fuels you are being quoted for.
• Your current supplier.
• The length of contract that you need.

Your business energy bills can also be affected by things like the wholesale cost of gas and electricity (the price your supplier pays for the energy it supplies to your business), a hike in taxes and environmental levies, and even an increase in demand - all of which are out of the control of both you and your supplier.

If you're a large business that uses a lot of energy and is set across a number of locations, you might want a multi-site energy deal that puts everything on the one tariff to save both time and money.

As a large energy user, you'll also have to take on half-hourly metering - a system that provides accurate meter readings to your supplier every 30 minutes - as this is a requirement for all businesses with a maximum demand of at least 100kW in any half hour period.

To give you a rough idea of how much electricity your business should be using, and how much it should be paying in standing charges and unit costs, check out the table below:

Average business electricity usage and rates

When it comes to commercial gas rates, you'll be put into a category determined by the size of your business, then pay monthly instalments to cover your estimated use. You'll also have to decide whether you want to be placed on a fixed or variable rate tariff.

To give you a rough idea of how much gas your business should be using, and how much it should be paying in standing charges and unit costs, check out the table below:

Average business gas usage and rates

There are so many variables at play when it comes to choosing your business energy provider, so it's a good idea to let the energy experts at UKPower take you through the entire switching process to make sure you're on the best deal.

As with domestic energy deals, there are two main charges you need to look out for when comparing quotes:

• Standing charge - a set amount you pay no matter how much electricity you use, even if you don’t use any.
• Unit cost - the amount you pay for the electricity you use, charged per unit. Although you will fix the unit price for the duration of your deal, the total amount you pay each month will vary depending upon the amount of energy you use.

You’ll also need to work out which type of business energy tariff is best for your business. The five main types of business energy contracts are:

• Fixed term - Charges a set price per unit (kWh) for the duration of the contract. This does not fix the total amount that you pay each month, which will vary according to your usage.
• Variable-rate - Unit rates are linked to market activity, meaning they may fluctuate throughout the duration of your contract.
• Deemed rate - Also known as an out-of-contract rate tariff, this is a rolling deal with expensive rates.
• 28-day - A contract for businesses who haven’t switched since the energy market was deregulated.
• Rollover - A contract that is used when no alternative has been agreed before your current contract’s end date. Rates are usually among the supplier’s most expensive.

It’s also worth noting there are no dual fuel business energy tariffs, you’ll have to set up separate accounts for your business gas and business electricity.

The way commercial energy is bought and sold means business rates are worked out differently to household rates, with commercial deals often the cheaper of the two, so it makes sense to set up a designated electricity account at your business premises.

If you work from home, you’ll only be able to set up a business electricity account if you can prove a significant portion of the energy you use – usually 50% – is for business purposes. This might sound a lot, but just using enough to light and heat your home during business hours could be enough to make you eligible.

Each business uses gas in different ways and in different volumes, which means it can be difficult to work out an accurate estimate for your individual business. That’s why providers work on a scale of average prices based on the size of the business. The table below should give you an idea of how much energy your business should be using, as well how much you can expect to pay in unit costs and standing charges.

No matter how big or small your business, we’re confident our completely free and 100% impartial business energy comparison service can find you a cheaper deal.

The thing is, all businesses are different – no matter how similar two businesses may seem, they’ll have different energy demands, and that’s why there are no ‘off-the-shelf’ business energy tariffs available.

Instead, your contracts will be designed to meet the unique energy demands of your business, so it’s hard to say exactly how much your business could save without comparing business gas prices.

How much you pay each year, and how much you can save by switching, depends on things like the size of your company, the size of its premises, the number of employees, and its overall energy efficiency.

The average business will use more electricity than the average home, and this higher demand means corporate customers can often negotiate better rates.

On the flipside, a higher demand coupled with rising wholesale electricity prices, as well as environmental levies and taxes, mean it’s easy to rack up big electricity bills. And you need to be especially switched on when your contracts come up for renewal – if you don’t agree a new deal with your current supplier, or negotiate a better one with a new supplier, you’ll be rolled onto an expensive rate, and may even be tied in for another year.

But finding the right deal for your business can take time, effort and no shortage of know-how – and that’s where we can help.

Our team of energy experts will not only look to get you the best deal, they’ll also offer advice on how to give termination notice to your current electricity provider and deal with any supplier objections that might arise.

If you don’t set up a new business energy deal before your current one ends, your supplier will automatically roll you onto one of its expensive out-of-contract rates. So it’s vital you compare tariffs and switch to a better deal before this happens.

One thing to bear in mind is you can’t compare energy prices for business until your current deal enters its renewal window, which is usually between one and six months before its end date. Don’t worry if you don’t know when this is, when your contract enters this window your supplier should send you a letter detailing their offer of a new deal.

It’s unlikely this offer will be competitive, so instead of accepting it, use it as a figure to work with when comparing tariffs from other suppliers.

And switching with us mean you don’t need to worry about being rolled onto an expensive rate or missing your renewal window, as we’ll make sure you’re on the best deal for your business, year-after-year.

If you switch to a new deal with a different supplier, your old supplier will send a final bill once your contract with them expires, and may ask for a final meter reading to ensure the bill is accurate. You will also be given a date by which this final bill has to be paid. If you’ve not arranged a new deal by this point, you will be moved onto a rollover contract, or deemed rates, depending on your circumstances and supplier.