Compare business energy suppliers
It is easy to compare business energy suppliers when using Onwards Energy.
Why switch your business energy supplier?
Firstly, business energy prices are constantly changing. This is because the wholesale gas and electricity markets are in constant flux. As a result, energy suppliers have to update their tariffs at regular intervals to keep up with wholesale prices. For some, this means daily. For others it can be weekly or monthly.
In addition to this, most energy suppliers offer cheaper prices for new acquisition customers. In other words, if you switch suppliers you will often save more than staying with your incumbent.
And finally, energy suppliers sometimes reduce their prices for short periods of time when trying to grow market share.
In conclusion, you should search the business energy market before every renewal to find the best deal. And most importantly of all, ensure you never fall onto out of contract or default tariffs. If you do, you could be paying 70% more than a fixed priced contract.
Which business energy suppliers do we compare?
We compare up to 20 business energy suppliers to find you the best deals. In the last 6 months we have saved on average £1,170 per annum for our business customers
How do I compare business energy tariffs?
1
Get your Quote
Fill in your details to get your free quotation or alternatively send us your latest invoice. If we need further information, we will ask for your permission to contact your current energy supplier.
2
Choose your deal
We will search up to 20 energy suppliers and provide a full price comparison, so you can choose the right energy deal for you. Select the tariff you want and we send digital contracts for you to sign.
3
Switch and Save
Then sit back and relax. We look after the switching process, any billing disputes and proactively provide prices for your renewal. This leaves you to focus on what you do best.
Why switch energy with Onwards for business?
01.
Save Money
No only do we search a large panel of business energy suppliers to find the best deals, we also save you money on broker commission fees and clearly show them on all our quotes
02.
Save Time
It’s time consuming contacting lots of energy suppliers to ask for prices. When combined with the ongoing management of energy bills it all adds up. However, you can remove the hassle and leave that to us.
03.
Do more
We continually track the market for our customers, optimising when to renew and saving you more. We also help customers to take their first steps on the road to net zero carbon and reducing their energy spend.
At Onwards we do more than just compare business energy
Price Comparison
Above all, we provide a completely transparent service, ensuring you get a great deal on your business energy. In addition we specialise in renewable electricity and green gas contracts so you can do more than just save money.
- Business Electricity
- Business Gas
- Renewable Contracts
- Business Water
Contract Management
We don't just compare gas and power prices, we actively monitor those prices and proactively manage the renewal process. With that and our comprehensive account management, you are in very safe hands.
- Invoice Validation
- Query Management
- Adding/Removing Sites from portfolio
- Proactive Renewals
Energy Advice
And finally, we help you to manage and reduce your energy consumption. This includes monitoring energy, reporting your carbon footprint and helping you to take the first steps towards Net Zero carbon.
- Simplifying Business Energy
- Carbon Reporting and Net Zero
- Consumption Analysis
- New Connections
We adhere to Ofgem's voluntary principles
Building a loyal and long-term customer base is vital to us. That is why we operate with 100% transparency and follow Ofgem’s voluntary principles. You can find more information on Ofgem’s website
What could you save by switching your business energy?
This is a great question, though a very difficult one to answer. How much you could save is different for every business and depends on a variety of factors;
- The changes in wholesale gas and electricity prices since you signed your last contract.
- How much energy you consume and how consistent your consumption patterns are.
- Changes to national grid costs – the price for transmitting and distributing energy.
- And finally, changes in environmental levies and taxes.
In conclusion, we can only tell you what you could save by providing a price comparison. However, over the last 6 months we have saved our customers an average of £1,170 per annum, even though wholesale costs have been increasing. One of the reasons for this is our cheaper commission rates and absolute transparency.
What types of business tariffs are there?
There are different types of business energy tariff so before starting your comparison it may be worth exploring the options.
Renewable & Green Contracts – with more focus on protecting our planet, greener contracts are a great first step on the journey to net zero carbon.
Fixed Priced Contracts – these provide business customers will budget certainty for a fixed duration of time. Contracts usually range from 1 year to 5 years.
Pass Through Contracts – these are similar to fixed priced contracts but some charges are passed through when they change. These contracts are increasingly common due to uncertainty in some costs – find out more here.
Flexible Contracts – usually for larger business customers, these contracts allow customers to lock in their gas and electricity in smaller chunks. This spreads the risk of making a single buying decision.
Variable Tariffs – if you do nothing at the end of your contract, you will roll onto a variable tariff. You still need to provide 30 day’s if you want to leave and prices can be 70% higher than a fixed term contract.
Other considerations with considering your energy supplier
Unlike domestic energy customers, business customers do not usually get lower prices for taking a dual fuel energy contract. In short, you are unlikely to get a discount by putting both gas and electricity with one supplier.
For SME businesses, the cheapest tariffs are usually for customers who choose direct debit as their payment method.
Reducing the cost of your gas & business electricity
The easiest way to save money on your business gas and electricity is to search the market and switch suppliers.
But how do you reduce your energy consumption and start the journey to being carbon net zero?
1
Measure
First step is to measure your energy and carbon footprint. This provides you a benchmark and helps to understand where to invest.
2
Target and Track
Develop a strategy for reducing energy and your carbon footprint, set targets and track your progress.
3
Annual Certification
Become certified with the future Net Zero and use this accreditation for publication to your customers and wider stakeholder groups.
Find more information about carbon footprint reporting here
What's the difference between domestic and business energy supplier?
A question we get asked a lot. In this section, we highlight the main differences below:
Domestic energy
Can leave their supplier at anytime.
This may be subject to an early termination fee, which can be found in your terms and conditions. These amount are normally quite low and often you can save more by switching.
Simply tariff structures make it easy to compare
Prices are fully inclusive making them easy to compare. In addition, meters tend to be less complex and easier to source prices for.
Quick and easy to source prices.
Finally, all domestic prices are published and customers can get quick price comparisons on-line from lots of energy suppliers.
Business energy
Cannot leave their supplier duing a fixed term contract
Businesses must also submit a termination request at least 30 days before their fixed contract ends. You can renew contracts up to 12 months of the business contract end date.
Business energy contracts can be more complex
No standard tariffs and suppliers can fix and pass through different cost elements. This makes it harder for businesses to compare offers.
Businesses often have to get bespoke quotationss
Most prices are not published. As a result, customers have to source quotations directly from energy suppliers. This is time consuming and comparing responses can be complex.
Because of this complexity, we recommend working with an energy partner.
When choosing one, it is worth checking;
- Most importantly, ask how much commission they are adding to the energy suppliers price. Are they clearly showing this?
- Secondly, find out if they adhere to Ofgem’s voluntary principles?
- Make sure they compare offers on a like for like basis – showing what is fixed and what isn’t.
- And finally, find out what service is included and ask them to provide all of the paperwork, giving you time to review your options
Latest Business Energy News
Frequently Asked Questions
Meter point administration number, known as MPAN, Supply Number or S number is a 21 digit number that is unique for your electricity supply. It provides lots of information and enables us to identify and correctly price your meter. You can find more details here
Meter Point Reference number or MPR is the gas equivalent and correctly identifies your gas supply point.
You can find your Meter Point Administration Number (MPAN) and Meter point reference number (MPR) on your electricity and gas invoice.
If you don’t have a previous bill you can find your MPAN by contacting your local network operator and you MPRN by visiting find my supplier.
The contract end date can be found on your gas and electricity invoice. You will need to provide 30 days notice before leaving your supplier.
If you do nothing you will roll onto a variable price plan/tariff. These can be as much as 70% higher than a fixed term contract.
In addition, if you move into a new site you will default onto deemed rates, which are also significantly higher.
If you cannot find your contract end dates, supplier or meter numbers then contact us and we can do this for you. You will simply need to complete a Letter of Authority (LOA).
An LOA is a letter of authority and allows a third party to contact suppliers and operators to source information relevant to your utilities. Make sure when you sign an LOA that you do not allow any third party to sign contracts on your behalf.
A half-hourly electricity meter measures electricity usage every 30 minutes. You can find out if you have one by checking your energy invoice. If you supply number starts with 00, then you do. Check your guide for more details
If you are moving premises you will need to contact your current energy supplier to let them know. Make sure you take meter readings on the day you move out.
You should also search the market to secure the best rates on your new premises and do this before you move.
If you need help contact us and we can look after the whole process for you. All you will need to do is sign an LOA.
Yes. All SME customers need to provide at least 30 days notice to leave their current supplier at the end of their contract. This ensures that you do not roll onto a variable tariff or out of contracts when you switch suppliers.
Providing notice does not allow you to leave your contract early.
If you are on a fixed term contract then the simple answer is no. Unless their are exceptional circumstances, significant changes in supplier terms and conditions there is little chance of leaving early.
It takes approximately 4 weeks to switch business energy between suppliers. And remember you must provide at least 30 days notice before leaving at your contract end date.
Most business energy suppliers provide 1-3 year contracts, though some are now offering 4 and 5 year contracts.
Business energy suppliers provide energy brokers with base prices. The broker then uplifts this price by their commission, which is then paid by the supplier. You can find more information in Ofgem’s Voluntary Principles.
Onwards Energy adheres to these principles and are 100% transparent with their commission fees.
Most businesses are charged the standard 20% VAT rate for their business energy. Your energy supplier will set you up on 20% unless notified. Some businesses do qualift for 5% VAT. These include;
- Registered Charities
- Energy that is used for domestic purposes, such as a care home or student accommodation
- You use a low amount of energy. This is less than 1,000kWh of electricity per month or 4,397 of gas per month. Your energy supplier should apply this to your business energy invoice.
As supplier prices are constantly changing, the cheapest business energy supplier is also changing.
We will help you to to find the best rates by searching over 20 suppliers.
You will need to know your renewal date, your MPAN/MPRN and how much electricity gas or electricity you consume over a 12 month period.
We can provide all this information as well as complete price comparisons. All you need to do is contact us and we will send you an LOA to sign. We will then compare business energy contracts and send you a detailed report.
You can get energy prices from most business energy suppliers between 6 and 12 months before your contract end date.
Suppliers have to send you a renewal notice 3 months prior to your renewal date.
If you move property and do not switch supplier or contact the incumbent supplier to agree a contract, you will be placed on a deemed contract.
When on a deemed contract you do not have to supply notice to leave the supplier. The supplier can also not object to you leaving their supply.
Prices are much higher than a business fixed energy contract.
A green business energy contract is one that is secured from renewable energy sources, such as solar or wind.
A supplier will either directly purchase this energy from a renewable energy generator or purchase green certificates, which are applied to the energy you consume.
This is a great place for businesses to start their carbon net zero journey. To compare business energy renewable prices, simply get in touch.