UK businesses are facing a growing competitiveness problem - and energy costs are at the centre of it.

Recent reporting in The Times highlighted just how stark the issue has become.

According to comments from Curry’s CEO Alex Baldock, his company is now paying around five times more for electricity than its US equivalent, Best Buy. (The Times)

For many UK businesses, this isn’t just a headline - it’s a real and growing threat to competitiveness.

The UK energy market is entering a new phase of regulation in 2026, with the government announcing plans to strengthen Ofgem’s enforcement powers and increase accountability across the sector. The reforms are aimed at improving standards, restoring trust, and ensuring suppliers that fail customers face tougher consequences.

For business energy customers, this is welcome news.

The conversation around business energy pricing in 2026 is no longer just about wholesale gas or electricity rates. For most UK businesses, the real story is increasingly being driven by non-commodity costs - particularly network charging reforms such as TNUoS (Transmission Use of System) and DUoS (Distribution Use of System), alongside wider capacity and system balancing costs.

Global energy markets have been thrown back into volatility, with oil and gas prices surging following escalating tensions in the Middle East. Brent crude has pushed well above $100 per barrel, while UK gas prices have risen sharply-driving renewed inflation concerns and cost pressures for businesses.

For UK businesses, this is more than headline news. It’s already impacting contract availability, pricing strategies, and supplier appetite for risk.

Energy markets have moved sharply following the recent military action involving the US, Israel, and Iran.

Wholesale gas has pushed up towards 150 pence per therm, with oil markets also reacting quickly to the heightened geopolitical risk. Whenever instability touches the Middle East - a region central to global energy supply - markets respond immediately.

But as always, the headline and the long-term impact are rarely the same thing.

Trade bodies representing both industry and the energy sector have issued a fresh call for government action to address what they describe as persistently high energy costs for UK businesses - a growing drag on competitiveness, investment and future growth.

The UK’s energy regulator, Ofgem, has issued a stark warning: the rapid expansion of datacentres - fuelled in large part by artificial intelligence (AI) growth - could significantly increase electricity demand and put new pressure on the national grid.

For businesses, policymakers and energy investors across the United Kingdom, this is more than a technical infrastructure issue. It’s a strategic moment that touches energy prices, industrial competitiveness, net zero targets and the UK’s ambition to become an AI powerhouse.

Here’s what’s happening - and why it matters.

Chris O’Shea, chief executive of Centrica (the parent company of British Gas) has warned that UK electricity bills could be higher by 2030 than during the 2022 energy crisis. This should definitely give policymakers and consumers pause.

O’Shea made the comments at a recent energy sector event hosted by the Energy Institute, highlighting structural investment costs rather than short‑term wholesale price swings.

In our previous post, we outlined the expected increases to TNUoS and DUoS charges from April 2026. Now that the final tariffs have been published, it’s time to review the confirmed figures and what they mean for business electricity costs.

When it comes to utilities, the terms “broker” and “consultant” are often used interchangeably - but there’s a significant difference. While a broker might focus on transactions and the cheapest available deal, a consultant is a trusted advisor, offering strategic guidance tailored to your business.

Whether you run a small office, a large factory, or a critical facility like a data centre, understanding how electricity is supplied and categorised can help you manage costs, reliability, and future planning. In the UK, businesses typically deal with three levels of energy supply: HA (High/Heavy Demand), HV (High Voltage), and LV (Low Voltage). In this guide, we explain what each means, give real-world examples, and highlight why specialist knowledge matters.

“The energy market of 2026 will not reward those chasing the cheapest price - it will reward strategic planning.”

The Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS), which has helped manage multi-rate electricity tariffs for decades, is being phased out across Great Britain. This longwave radio system is being replaced because the transmitters are now at the end of their operational life, and failure could disrupt heating, hot water, and electricity for hundreds of thousands of sites.

When it comes to monetising the electricity your solar system generates, understanding your export payment options is crucial. Two primary routes exist for solar owners in the UK: the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) and Power Purchase Agreements (PPA).

As we step into December, we are keeping a close eye on energy costs - and the latest wholesale gas prices bring some welcome news. After months of volatility, prices have dropped, creating potential opportunities for businesses to reduce operating costs, review contracts, and plan strategically for the winter months ahead. In this post, we explain what falling gas prices mean for business energy bills and how companies can make the most of this moment.

UK businesses are bracing themselves for another round of increased electricity costs. Transmission charges, distribution fees, and other third-party levies - collectively often referred to as “non-commodity” charges - are set to rise sharply. But there’s a question that’s becoming harder to ignore: why are businesses and consumers shouldering the cost of grid upgrades, while the major energy companies report record profits?

As we move into the next energy‑pricing period, many businesses will see a sharp increase in non‑commodity or “third‑party” energy charges. Among these, the transmission network charge known as TNUoS is likely to dominate the cost rise. Here’s what you need to know - and how to prepare.

The transition to electric vehicles (EVs) is no longer optional for many businesses. With fleets electrifying and employee EV charging becoming a workplace expectation, businesses need to plan carefully to avoid unexpected electricity costs. Without a strategic approach, what seems like a sustainable upgrade could lead to costly spikes in energy bills.

Ofgem’s new capital adequacy rules are reshaping the landscape by requiring energy suppliers to hold sufficient working capital to survive market shocks. Several suppliers, including OVO Energy and Octopus Energy, have recently been flagged for falling short of these requirements - a clear sign that mission-led brands are not immune to financial discipline pressures.

The UK electricity market is undergoing one of its most significant transformations in decades: the rollout of Market-wide Half-Hourly Settlement (MHHS). Designed to bring precision, transparency, and flexibility to electricity billing, MHHS is poised to change how businesses, suppliers, and energy markets operate.