Big Energy Week...for businesses

This week is Big Energy Week, an initiative from Citizen’s Advice that’s designed to get people thinking about how they can cut their energy bills at home.

Chris Huhne at the Big Energy week stand in Westfield. Image by DECCgovuk via Flickr.

Naturally, we think that gas and electricity bills at work are just as important as those at home, so I’ve put together three golden rules that I think will help you get a better deal on business energy:

1. Know when your contract ends. It’s vital that you know when your contract is due to end so you’re ready to do something about it in good time. If you ignore your contract end date, you can be rolled-over onto a new contract automatically, and it might not be the best deal for your business.

2. Get an overview on the market. Don’t accept the first price you’re offered and don’t go direct to a business energy supplier when it’s time to renegotiate your contract. Go to a broker (like uSwitchforBusiness) and you’ll get prices from a range of suppliers so you can be confident that the deal you sign up for is competitive.

3. Use less energy. It doesn’t make business sense to use more energy than you need to. Whatever the nature or size of your business, there’s advice (and maybe even a grant) to help you become more energy-efficient. The Carbon Trust is great starting-point. 

I’ve also put together a short reading list of guides that explain more about business energy and how you can make sure you get the best value for money:

• Business energy bills - there are more options than you might think when it comes to billing.
• Business electricity prices and business gas prices - how to find the best business energy prices.
• Business electricity meters and gas meters - the different types of business meter explained.
• Business energy regulators - who are the regulators and what can they do for you?
• The Carbon Reduction Commitment - what does it mean for your business?