Cost of living - help for businesses

In these challenging times we continue to offer support, guidance, and a range of services to help your business. You and your employees can also access help and advice in our Cost of living - help for households section.

Energy Bill Relief Scheme

The Energy Bill Relief Scheme is a government scheme that will help businesses, charities, and public sector organisations with the cost of energy.

Suppliers will automatically apply reductions to the bills of all eligible non-domestic customers.

Up to 31 March 2023

Eligibility

The scheme is available to those who are:

  • on an existing fixed price contract which was agreed on or after 1 December 2021
  • signing a new fixed price contract
  • on a default or variable tariff
  • on a flexible purchase or similar contract.

Discount amount

The scheme covers the period 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023. It will be the difference between the wholesale cost and the government supported price.

  • £211 per megawatt hour (MWh) for electricity
  • £75 per MWh for gas.

A maximum discount applies for those on a default or variable contract:

  • £345 per MWh for electricity
  • £91 per MWh for gas.

Please note: you do not need to apply for the scheme. The discount will automatically be applied to your bill.

From 1 April 2023 to March 2024

From 1 April 2023 the government will continue to provide a discount on gas and electricity unit prices for businesses, charities, and public sector organisations. Eligible non-domestic consumers will now receive a per-unit discount to their energy bills during the 12-month period from April 2023 to March 2024, subject to a maximum discount. The relative discount will be applied if wholesale prices are above a certain price threshold. For most non-domestic energy users in Great Britain and Northern Ireland these maximum discounts have been set at:

  • £19.61 per megawatt hour (MWh) for electricity, with a price threshold of £302 per MWh
  • £6.97 per MWh for gas, with a price threshold of £107 per MWh.

The discount is calculated as the difference between the wholesale price associated with an energy contract and the price threshold. The discount is phased in when the contract's wholesale price exceeds the floor price, until the total discount per MWh reaches the maximum discount for that fuel.

Please note: you do not need to apply for the scheme. The discount will automatically be applied to your bill.

Energy efficiency for businesses

Get the most from your energy consumption by understanding:

  • your energy use
  • your energy bills
  • how to review your business energy efficiency.

Energy efficiency for SMEs on GOV.UK

Please note: this guide was produced in 2015, so some of the figures will be out of date. The advice is still relevant.

Current government guidance, projects, and papers, about energy efficiency for businesses, is available on GOV.UK:

Energy efficiency information on GOV.UK

Sustainability resources

For resources and guides to support businesses in understanding sustainability visit The Carbon Trust's website, which includes information on achieving Net Zero for SMEs.

There are also lots of resources online to help you calculate your business's carbon footprint, such as the carbon calculator provided by The Department of Business Energy & Industrial Strategy.

Our business support team

Our business support team will ensure that you gain access to the support and services relevant to your business needs. Everything we do is designed to help businesses thrive in the East Riding.

If you already have a dedicated business advisor contact them if you have any questions. If you do not have an advisor, and you want to understand the support available, please contact us:

Tel: (01482) 391622
Email: business.support@eastriding.gov.uk

Our highly-experienced and knowledgeable team of advisors understand how complex business can be. Whether you are a startup or an established business, you can access one-to-one support, workshops, regular news updates, networking opportunities, and much more. Support is directly tailored to your business needs.

We are also currently looking at options as to how we can further support businesses in reducing their energy usage and carbon footprint. More information will be available in early January 2023.

Help for your employees

This may be a worrying time for your employees. We offer a range of support options that may be of benefit to them in our Cost of living - help for households section:

Cost of living - help for households

The government also provides information on help that may be available:

Help for households on GOV.UK

Wellbeing at work

To improve the wellbeing of your staff, increase productivity, and to help staff retention, find out why wellbeing matters and what the Working Well support service can offer.

Wellbeing at work on the East Riding Health and wellbeing website

Energy suppliers and bills

If at any point, your business is going to struggle to pay its energy bills, please seek advice from:

Ofgem - advice and support for energy bill payment

Citizens Advice - energy bill advice for small businesses

Understanding your energy bill can sometimes help you to make savings and reduce your energy usage:

Understand your energy bill - support from EDF Energy

Please note: you may find your bill uses a lot of jargon. Some companies provide a 'jargon buster' so you can understand your bill better. You can access an example jargon buster on the e.on Next website.

Ofgem, the UK's energy regulator, also provide advice on energy efficiency schemes. For advice on switching suppliers, problems with suppliers and other information, visit the Ofgem business help pages:

Energy advice for businesses on the Ofgem website

Small business rate relief

Your business may qualify for up to 100 per cent business rates relief if you occupy:

  • only one property with a rateable value of under £15,000; or
  • one main property with a rateable value of under £15,000 and other additional properties. Each additional property must have a rateable value of £2,899 or less and the total rateable value of all your properties is £19,999 or less.

Small business rates relief - find out if you are eligible and how to apply

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