Switch your business electricity and save thousands
Business electricity services are becoming more confusing by the day. If you do not invest in a reliable, responsive supplier, you will face problems along the way. Power cuts, incorrect billing, and out-of-contract rates can all have a big impact on your day-to-day operations.
Our energy comparison tool is a quick, easy solution to your business electricity supplier dilemma.
Here at SwitchWhiz, we cater to every kind of customer. We search through over 350 business energy tariffs to find our customers the best deals possible, which means that there is something for everyone. Unlike other energy brokers that exclude small businesses, we welcome business owners who run businesses with everything from three people to 300 people.
In essence, we make the switching process as easy as possible. One of the ways that we do this is by giving you an account manager. Once you have used our business electricity comparison tool and selected a tariff, your account manager will be in touch to discuss the next steps.
The switching process starts with a simple form. You need to input a few details to activate our commercial electricity comparison generator.
Here are the details that we need:
Now that it has a few key bits of information, our comparison generator will whirl through hundreds of business electricity tariffs and select the best options for your business. Then, all you need to do is choose a tariff and sit back and relax.
We work with a panel of 12 of the most trusted commercial energy suppliers that can offer your business some of the most competitive business electricity rates on the market. Suppliers on our panel include:
Customers that have a half-hourly meter (00 profile in their MPAN number) installed can also switch to the below suppliers:
Our internal data shows that on average businesses save £1,952 per year on their bills, so the amount can be quite considerable with the right tariff.
However, the amount of money your business can save depends on how many kWh of electricity your business uses every year, as well as what your existing tariff is, and the tariff you’re switching to.
Electricity prices change frequently since wholesale prices rely on various factors (such as the cost of fuel). Geopolitical events impact these wholesale prices on a day-to-day basis, and as a result, energy suppliers are frequently adjusting their prices. Below we have the latest business electricity prices for the UK to give you a rough idea of what you can expect to pay.
| Business Size | 2-Year Rate (p per kWh) | 2-yr Standing Charge (p) | 2-yr Annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Micro business (0 - 5,000 kWh) | 25.9p | 53.5p | £845.50 |
| Small business (5,000 - 15,000 kWh) | 25.6p | 63.4p | £2,795.65 |
| Medium business (15,000 - 25,000 kWh) | 25.4p | 70.1p | £5,332.92 |
| Large business (25,000 - 50,000 kWh) | 25.6p | 95.4p | £9,938.92 |
| Very large business (50,000 - 100,000 kWh) | 25p | 109.1p |
£19,144.63 |
Data correct as of January 2025. Prices reflect a live market and are subject to fluctuation. Prices assume a two-year contract with annual costs using the upper band of annual consumption, and the data provided is an average of prices from our panel of suppliers across the UK.
Before you jump head-first into a new contract, you need to understand the different types of tariffs that are available to you.
It is no secret that business electricity prices are on the rise. If you want to see an accurate representation of business electricity unit rates, use our comparison tool. It contains hundreds of suppliers, tariffs, and electricity prices.
When comparing business electricity contracts, you should consider asking yourself the following:
Oftentimes the headline unit rate (ie the electricity price per kWh) looks too good to pass up - and maybe it is! But before progressing with your switch assess that any other additional costs on your business electricity bill still present you with savings compared to your existing tariff. Look at how much business electricity you use a year, and add 365 days' worth of daily standing charges as well as any other charges the bill includes, and be sure that it amounts to a saving.
We’ve seen the different tariff types, so before you compare, be sure that the tariff type you are choosing is right for you, as each type has its pros and cons.
Just like tariff types, contract lengths have benefits and detriments. Contracts are often between one year and three, so when comparing, be confident that the contract length you want is worth it in the long run. A one-year contract typically has higher unit rates but offers the benefit of renewal in a year if the wholesale price drops. A three-year contract typically is lower and offers three years' worth of predictable business electricity bills, however should wholesale price drop substantially early on in the contract, you will find yourself overpaying compared to the rest of the market.
Suppliers are not all the same, and while price is important it’s not everything. A reason to switch suppliers, besides for a cheaper rate, is that you may not be happy with the level of customer support your existing supplier offers you, so it’s worth selecting a new supplier that will deliver great customer service for you while you are in contract with them.
As of November 2024, regarding the annual cost of a UK-wide average for a two-year contract for a business using 25,000 kWh of business electricity a year, Scottish Power is the cheapest business electricity supplier across our panel - although their standing charge is the highest on the panel too. But this is a general idea, and to see who is the cheapest business gas supplier for your business, it is best to compare and get a quote.
| Supplier | Standing Charge (p) | Day Rate | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| British Gas | 62p | 26.2p | £6,773.53 |
| British Gas Lite | 42p | 26p | £6,655.62 |
| Scottish Power | 125p | 23.5p | £6,336.62 |
| SmartestEnergy | 62.3p | 25.1p | £6,498.86 |
| Valda Energy | 75.5p | 25.9p | £6,757.14 |
| EON | 30p | 28.1p | £7,139.86 |
| EDF | 75p | 27.5p | £7,136.25 |
Data correct as of January 2025. Prices reflect a live market and are subject to fluctuation. Prices assume a two-year contract with 25,000 kWh annual usage and are an average of prices from our panel of suppliers across the UK.
Business electricity prices in the UK have declined since January 2024 and in 2025 prices are currently at their lowest rates since 2023.
Over the past few months, business energy rates have stabilised significantly, prompting many business owners to secure their electricity rates in anticipation of potential increases during the approaching colder months.
The graph below illustrates this steady stabilisation in 2025 compared to energy prices in 2023.
Business electricity prices also vary across the UK, so in the table, we’ve broken average prices down by region:
| Region | Rate (p per kWh) | Av. Standing Charge (p per day) | Av. Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | 24.7p | 52.6p | £6,371 |
| North East England | 25.2p | 80.4p | £6,604 |
| North West England | 26.2p | 60.5p | £6,769 |
| East Midlands | 25.1p | 69.3p | £6,523 |
| West Midlands | 25.1p | 75.4p | £6,557 |
| Yorkshire | 25.3p | 77.3p | £6,616 |
| East England | 25p | 61.1p | £6,466 |
| South East England | 25.1p | 67p | £6,529 |
| South West England | 25.9p | 78.9p | £6,765 |
| Southern England | 25.1p | 73.6p | £6,533 |
| North Scotland | 27.3p | 72p | £7,099 |
| Central and Southern Scotland | 26.1p | 81.4p | £6,828 |
| North Wales, Merseyside and Cheshire | 28.3p | 86.5p | £7,397 |
| South Wales | 25.7p | 77.5p | £6,695 |
Data correct as of January 2025. Prices reflect a live market and are subject to fluctuation. Prices assume a two-year contract with 25,000 kWh annual usage and are an average of prices from our panel of suppliers across the UK.
Your bill will have your business electricity supplier’s details, whether you receive this by e-mail or by post. However, if you are new to a premises, you might not have past bills. If so, then the Energy Networks Association can tell you your network operator with just your postcode using their online tool. Your network operator can in turn tell you who supplies your property with electricity. Most have online tools and can do this without needing to phone them up.
If you are a micro business, you only need to wait; three months before your contract end date, your supplier will send you a three-month notice reminder letter.
Alternatively, an energy broker like SwitchWhiz can tell you your supplier with simply your postcode in just 30 seconds. We’ll also give you free cheap business electricity quotes so you can save money.
A half-hourly meter records your consumption data every 30 minutes and sends the information to the supplier.
There are lots of benefits to choosing these kinds of meters.
Micro businesses can compare and switch business electricity suppliers just like any other business. The only difference for micro businesses is their supplier must send a reminder letter with three months' notice that their contract is ending. The letter must include the contract end date and give notice that they will be switched to a deemed rate tariff at the end of the three months - these are usually more expensive than fixed-rate tariffs, but they run on a 28-day rolling period, so you can switch to a better contract within a month.
Your business electricity supplier needs to know that you are moving premises. If you work with a TPI or energy broker, such as SwitchWhiz, then you need to inform your account manager and they will contact your supplier for you and arrange any switch you need.
When you move into your new premises, if there is no smart meter, you simply need to take a meter reading and provide this to your energy supplier.
Before you can get started, you need a meter. If you want to learn more about our commercial electricity meter installation services, visit our web page.
You can compare business electricity and switch as normal regardless of how many electricity monitors you have.
Monitors are not electricity meters and do not share electricity usage information with your supplier, so they will not influence the switching process, although they do help you be in control of your electricity consumption
Businesses managing multiple business electricity meters have two options: manage each meter individually, or sign up for a multi-site meter contract.
If you choose to manage each electricity meter individually, then you’ll need to manage each meter’s contract individually and stay on top of renewal dates and any supplier switching. This can become hard to manage with several meters and contract-ended dates throughout the year. Your meters will be available to manage individually on your supplier account
The second option is combining all your meters into one contract, a multi-site meter contract. This will mean all your contract renewals and switches happen at once, once a year or every few years, instead of several times a year.
Multi-site meters are useful for any business with at least two premises, businesses with a portfolio of properties, such as commercial landlords, hotel chains, multiple location businesses, and businesses located on a campus will benefit the most due to the significant reduction in time spent administrating multiple contracts.
To benefit from a multi-site contract you can use our business electricity comparison service as you normally would. Then, simply let us know the locations of all the meters you want included in the tariff, and that you want all the meters on one energy bill. From there our team of experts will do the rest.
Your supplier needs to be informed of an intention to switch to a new business electricity supplier. However, if you work with an energy broker or TPI, such as SwitchWhiz, then the Letter of Authority you sign will authorise the broker to contact your supplier on your behalf to arrange the switch.
From there, on switch day, you simply need to take a meter reading and send it to your old and new energy suppliers if you don't have a smart meter.
So long as you’ve been in debt to your supplier for fewer than 28 days, you can go ahead with your business electricity supplier switch. Your old supplier will add any debts that are fewer than 28 days old to your final bill.
Any debts older than 28 days will need to be repaid before you are allowed to switch.
It’s worth noting also that if your debt is the suppliers' fault, they cannot stop you from switching to a new business electricity supplier.
Businesses typically use more kWh of electricity a year than domestic consumers, so electricity suppliers tend to offer lower unit rates to businesses. However, business electricity standing charges tend to be higher, and from a total monthly bill point of view, business electricity bills will be higher than domestic electricity bills.
What’s more, businesses are not protected by the Ofgem energy price cap, so during times of energy crisis, business electricity rates can surge to levels far higher than domestic consumers.
Business owners who are feeling the strain of the recent business electricity price hike can apply for the Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS). It is tailored towards non-domestic customers and it covers both business gas and business electricity bills.
The scheme is available to non-domestic customers who are:
For more information, visit the government website.
No. Switching business electricity suppliers doesn’t involve any alterations to any infrastructure or electricity meters, so there will be no disruption to your electricity supply. On the day of the switch, you simply begin being charged by your new supplier.