Ask James
Business energy FAQs: James answers your questions.
Straight answers from someone who has worked in the business energy market since 2011.
Market guidance
Written and reviewed by James Smith
Business energy market experience since 2011 · Last reviewed 22 July 2026
James Smith
Energy Procurement Lead
There is no point discussing business energy prices when my contract does not end for months. Things could change, couldn't they?
Yes, things can change for the better or worse. But if you sign a contract, those changes will not affect you. Generally speaking, with a few exceptions, the renewal window is 12 months long. This means that once you are 364 days away from your contract ending, you can agree and lock in a price to start at the end of your current rate. This gives you the freedom to choose when to lock in your contract, and that freedom has never been more important in these volatile times.
I have received emails saying there are government changes to my business energy costs. What are they?
There are two new charges that have landed on business energy this year. The first is the Regulated Asset Base, or RAB. This is a relatively small increase of about 0.5p per kWh, although it differs between areas and levels of consumption. The reason for this charge is to raise money for nuclear power stations in the UK. The second is very significant, especially for half-hourly metered customers. There is a non-commodity part of your bill called Transmission Network Use of System, or TNUoS. This is essentially the rent you pay your supplier, which they then pay to the distributor in your area for the use of the cables that transport your energy. The increase is being added to the existing TNUoS metric. In some circumstances it is tied into the unit rate, but it is usually included in the standing charge. The reason for this increase is to raise money to improve the energy infrastructure up and down the country. The only silver lining to both increases is that, once we have built more nuclear power stations and modernised the energy grid, we should see our bills come down in future years.
How early do I need to terminate my business energy contract with my current supplier?
A new ruling introduced by Ofgem a number of years ago, called Faster Switching, means that the termination process is not widely needed or used. As long as your account is out of contract and has no debt, the switch you agree to will go through. Monitoring your business onto supply is the responsibility of a good consultant, so do not worry if you are with us!
We are having problems with our current energy supplier. I do not want to discuss anything until that is sorted.
This is where we shine. Anyone can get you a price. It is the ability to take problems off your desk, deal with them properly and work to your advantage as much as possible that makes a consultant worth working with your business. Energy companies are no different from any other large businesses in this world: long, drawn-out processes, passed from department to department with no end in sight. With a consultant, we give you the clout to make a difference. If you have energy problems, let us get them sorted for you! We can talk prices and business later; let us show you what we are good at first!
I have been entered into a business energy contract I did not know about. What can I do?
Firstly, auto-renewal by energy companies directly was stopped some years ago. If you have missed your contract end date, your current supplier will move you onto a 30-day rolling variable contract. Be careful here, as some suppliers may print that your contract ends in a year. That does not mean you are in a new fixed contract; you are out of contract and on an expensive variable rate. The only other way you can be entered into a contract is by a broker or third party. The first thing I would do is phone your supplier and ask for the verbal or written contract and the Letter of Authority that gave the third party permission to work on your behalf. If they cannot produce it, they will release you from the contract. The second thing I would do is call the third party that put you into the contract and remove any permission they have to work on your behalf. If this is happening to you, please get in touch. In many cases, I have helped my clients get where they need to be.
Some people have told me my business is exempt from Climate Change Levy. Is that true?
Yes, it is true that some businesses are exempt from Climate Change Levy, or CCL. However, it is also true that some third parties use this to start a conversation with you. The most steadfast way to find out whether you are exempt is to complete a PP10. This is an HMRC form that assesses your eligibility and can be found with a simple Google search. If you are eligible, complete the PP11, and that is that. There really is no need for a third party to do this. Anyone claiming that they already know you are eligible is not too dissimilar to those pesky phone calls about 'your recent car accident' that we all used to receive.
Is the kVA capacity on my business electricity bill set correctly?
There has never been a more important time to check whether your kVA is correct. With the TNUoS increases on standing charges, the higher your kVA, the higher the standing-charge band you are in. These increases are quite significant. Whereas a 100 kVA supply might receive a £12-a-day standing charge, a 250 kVA supply might receive a £40-a-day standing charge. You can see how quickly this can get out of hand. Speak to a broker if you are unsure how to check and implement a kVA change.
Will Cope Energy monitor the business energy market for me?
Yes. Once we understand your current contract, renewal dates and what matters to your business, we can monitor the market on your behalf. If prices or market conditions reach a point worth discussing, we will contact you and explain what has changed. You remain free to act, wait or ask us to continue monitoring. It means you do not have to follow every market movement or respond to repeated sales calls just to understand whether it is a sensible time to review your contract.Disclaimer on the page: Contract terms, charges and regulation can change. These answers provide general information rather than legal, tax or financial advice; we will check the current position for your business.