There is no single business energy supplier that is always the cheapest. Business energy prices are normally quoted individually, so the supplier offering the lowest price to one organisation may not offer the lowest price to another.
Quotes can depend on factors including annual consumption, meter type, location, credit profile, contract length, contract start date and wholesale market conditions when the price is agreed. Different suppliers also target different parts of the market. Some specialise in SMEs and straightforward fixed contracts, while others focus on larger organisations, multi-site portfolios or more flexible energy purchasing arrangements.
It is therefore important to compare suppliers using quotes for the same business, consumption and contract period.
The unit rate should not be considered in isolation either. Standing charges, additional fees, pass-through costs, contract terms and any broker commission can affect the overall cost.
The cheapest business energy supplier is therefore the one offering the most competitive suitable contract for that particular organisation at the time it goes to market, rather than a supplier that can consistently be described as the cheapest in the UK.
