Final TNUoS and DUoS Charges Confirmed: What Businesses Need to Know

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.

Confirmed 2026/27 Changes to Business Network Charges

Final tariffs now published for 1 April 2026 show a material rise in TNUoS standing charges compared with 2025/26.

On average, businesses can expect TNUoS charges to increase by around 60 %+, and for specific meter bands this can be much higher.

For example, Small Half‑Hourly sites (LV1) see the TNUoS‑related portion of their daily charge nearly double year‑on‑year, while larger LV2 sites see over 100 % increases in the TNUoS element alone.

Regional DUoS changes also vary and can add further upward pressure on standing charges.

To put this into perspective, the total TNUoS revenue to be collected in 2026/27 is expected to reach approximately £8.9 billion, up from around £5.5 billion in 2025/26.

This substantial increase reflects the ongoing investment needed to maintain and upgrade the UK’s transmission network, accommodate growing electricity demand, and connect more low‑carbon generation to the grid. For businesses, it helps explain why TNUoS standing charges are rising so sharply - these charges are the mechanism through which the cost of running and expanding the transmission system is recovered, and they form a significant part of fixed electricity costs even before usage is counted.

With the final charges now published, there’s no need for guesswork - businesses can take practical steps to manage costs and ensure energy procurement is aligned with these confirmed figures.

Rising Pressures on Businesses

The surge in TNUoS and DUoS charges has sparked wider debate about the fairness and impact of network costs on UK businesses. Industry groups and trade press have highlighted that rising fixed charges are adding significant financial pressure, particularly for SMEs and high-usage sites, while energy suppliers continue to operate in a market where profits remain high. In response, Ofgem has opened a review into how energy costs are allocated, acknowledging that the current approach - which recovers a growing portion of network investment through fixed standing charges - can disproportionately affect certain businesses. The debate has been echoed across LinkedIn discussions and specialist media, reflecting growing concern that, without careful planning, some companies could face considerable strain on margins as network costs rise alongside other operating expenses.

How We Can Help…

Given the scale of these network cost changes, it’s more important than ever for businesses to ensure their electricity supply setup is optimised.

Differences in meter class, profile class, and whether a site is LV or HV can dramatically affect how TNUoS and DUoS charges are applied and in turn, a company’s overall energy costs. As LV/HV supply experts, we can conduct a comprehensive network charge and supply configuration audit to identify whether your current setup is still the most cost‑effective for your usage profile. An audit can uncover opportunities to realign your supply arrangements, adjust meter classes, or reclassify loads, potentially reducing exposure to rising fixed charges.

Get in touch today to see how we can help your business.