Business Electricity With No Standing Charge
There are two types of tariffs for businesses – those that come with a standing charge no matter how much electric you use and those that don’t. Here’s a run down of the companies that offer such tariffs.
What is a standing charge ?
A standing charge for business electricity supplies is simply a fixed amount that you pay on your tariff to the energy company. As it’s fixed by its nature no matter how much electric your business uses you’ll still be charged this amount.
How much are these standing charges ?
Of course they vary by energy supplier but generally they are not so expensive. But it’s best if you get a quote for your energy whether it be electric only, gas only or both together as a dual fuel tariff. Certainly for domestic energy most people don’t have a standing charge if they are on regular tariffs although the first x number of units used are always generally at a higher rate in any case to cover the fixed costs of supply and these tariffs (although not generally named in this way) are called two tier tariffs.
How do I get business electricity without a standing charge ?
Almost all of the major 6 business energy providers in the UK can offer both types of tariffs (ie: those with a standing charge and those without). When comparing quotes and rates it’s always best to get a quote for all types so long as you have your current usage figures so you can compare effectively within one supplier and the rest of the market place. This means the pricing you receive reflects what your business is actually going to use rather than just looking at the base numbers.
Some standing charges may be higher for each electric supplier but then their unit rates could be lower so the overall cost will vary business to business depending on the overall consumption within a month or a year.
Getting an online quote
British Gas, EDF and the other business electricity suppliers all allow you to enter your business details on their websites so you can get instant online quotes. All you need is your business address and the meter number (so they can see your current and previous consumption figures) and then they’ll offer you their standard and special offer tariffs.
Getting quotes for business is slightly different from domestic use because the actual prices are not shown and are done specifically for your business. In almost all cases the lower prices are found online although it’s best if you go for an online quote, compare all the suppliers and then telephone the one you like the best or offers the best rates to see if you can obtain any additional discounts for switching to them at that date. Additional reductions in prices can be had by (sometimes) opting for a dual fuel tariff if your business also uses gas and certainly by paying by monthly or quarterly direct debit.
There are many types of tariffs that come with no standing charge so it’s best to get an online quote for your premises to see what’s available for you.
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