Suppliers have been urged to renegotiate costly energy deals with thousands of small businesses.
Tens of thousands of companies will face closure unless bills are cut to reflect the drop in wholesale energy prices, warns trade body the Federation of Small Businesses.
More than a tenth of small companies signed fixed-contract energy deals in the second half of last year when prices were at their peak.
How does the Energy Bills Discount Scheme work? – From April 1, the Energy Bill Relief Scheme will be replaced with the Energy Bills Discount Scheme. How will it affect your small business?
But since then, wholesale natural gas prices have fallen by more than 80 per cent, and the Government has sharply reduced support for businesses since March – a move which, in the words of the federation, “changes support to pennies that do not touch the sides of huge bills” – despite many companies being stuck on higher-cost fixed deals.
Energy bills for some businesses have quadrupled since the less generous scheme came into effect.
Ninety-three thousand businesses could be forced to close, downsize or radically restructure because of the size of their energy bills, says the FSB.
Business energy costs: how can you slash your gas and electricity bill? – Energy costs can easily rack up your business bill. Nicky Bannister of Flogas Energy explains how to trim them down.
The FSB would like to see any small business that signed a contract in the second half of last year be allowed to renegotiate its energy supply contract if the price it is paying is higher than during the winter months, when more generous Government support was available.
Tina McKenzie, FSB policy chair, said that tens of thousands are in “survival mode because they are tied to sky-high energy contracts … giving small firms a way out of last year’s market peak rates will accelerate the progress to recovery”.
UK energy prices peaked at £6 a therm in August last year following the Russian invasion of Ukraine; that price fell to 80p a therm for delivery next month.
Contracts for delivery in winter 2023/24 are higher but still pegged at £1 a therm.
Energy UK, the industry body, told the Financial Times that its members were already “offering to renegotiate and extend existing contracts where this is possible”, while regulator Ofgem recently wrote to suppliers asking them “to show flexibility”.
The problem is that suppliers themselves pre-bought supplies at the-then market rate on behalf of these fixed-contract customers.
More on energy deals
How to find the best energy supplier for your small business – With a steep rise in energy prices, we show you how to find the right energy supplier for your small business
