Everything you need to know about business energy switching

Ever wondered how business switching works? How business energy comparison sites can offer their switching service for free? Or how often online energy prices are updated? Well you’ve come to the right place, we have all the answers here.

How much does it cost to switch business energy?

UKPower’s energy comparison and switching service is completely free to all our customers, whether switching supplier at home, or changing business gas and electricity provider.

We make money from commission payments made to us by suppliers each time someone switches home or business energy with us.

And because we have no affiliation with any energy companies, our comprehensive switching service is completely impartial, which means you can be sure you’re getting the best available gas and electricity rates. This transparency also encourages energy suppliers to offer great deals to attract new customers.

How often are business energy prices updated?

The energy prices shown on UKPower are updated as soon as we are notified of any changes by the supplier. Some suppliers give us prices which can remain unchanged for as much as three months, while others may give us daily price changes – we update our prices as soon as we’re aware of a change. It's that simple.

How long does it take to switch business energy suppliers?

While domestic energy switches take no longer than 17 days, switching business energy suppliers takes an average of four-to-six weeks.

These timescales can vary though, in instances where your business is still under contract with another supplier for example, or if your new supplier doesn't have the details they need. If this is the case, the switch can take longer, and the best way to counter this is to have everything about your current situation to hand when you run a business energy comparison.

If you’re unsure who supplies your business gas or electricity, you should try to find a recent bill or speak to the previous occupier of your business premises. If you still do not know who supplies energy to your business you can call Xoserve (for business gas) on 0845 601 3049. To find out who supplies your electricity, check out the table below.

When you switch to a new deal, your contract for your energy is between you and the supplier – UKPower is simply a business energy comparison service, and not an energy provider.

Can you switch energy if your business is moving?

If you’re moving business premises, whether to a co-working office space or an entire industrial unit, you need to find out who currently supplies energy to the property you’re moving into, and change the account name over to that of your business. This will make sure there’s no disruption in supply when you move in.

Once you’ve moved in, get in touch with our energy experts, and we’ll be help you compare the market to find the best business electricity rates and commercial gas plans on offer.

What if your MPAN (electricity meter number) is not recognised?

MPAN numbers displayed on your bill are not always accurate. If this is the case, please contact the distributor MPAS service for your region who will be able to confirm your accurate MPAN number:

Why compare commercial energy?

Put simply, we can help save you money by making sure you’re on the best tariff to suit the needs and the budget of your business. Overpaying for energy can have a significant impact on your monthly outgoings, and switching supplier is a simple way to cut your overheads without compromising the quality of your goods or service.

Get quotes for commercial gas and electricity with a minimum of fuss by comparing online with UKPower.

• Tailored energy packages specific to your business needs
• Compare established providers such as British Gas, Scottish Power, eON, npower and more
• Get an assessment of your usage and energy guides from UKPower.

Simply check for quotes on commercial energy by popping your postcode into our online form and let us find greatest bargain for you. UKPower can help you power your business for less by making sure you’re on the best commercial energy rates on gas and electricity.

Do you need a business energy account if you work from home?

The way business energy is bought and sold means business rates are worked out differently to domestic rates. But although commercial energy deals are often the cheaper of the two, VAT is charged at 20% on business energy, compared to 5% on houshold energy. Even so, you should set up a busineess account for gas and electricity if you work in a commercial property, and it's worth comparing commercial deals even if you work from home.

If you do work from home, you’ll only be able to set up a business energy 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.

To run a business energy price comparison, simply enter your postcode at our business energy page and we will help you switch business energy in no time.