The Impact of Rising Energy Costs on UK Businesses
Strategies for Mitigation
Energy used to be a quiet part of the operating budget. Now? It’s front and centre—eating into margins, shaking forecasts, and sending boardrooms into strategy mode.
From retail giants to co-working spaces, UK businesses are grappling with rising costs, evolving compliance rules, and an energy market that’s anything but stable. And while no one can control global gas prices or regulatory demands, smart businesses are asking: what can we control?
This blog isn’t about doom and gloom. It’s about action. We’ll explore how different sectors are impacted—and what real-world strategies can help them fight back.
Why Are Energy Prices Still High?
Yes, wholesale markets have cooled a little, but businesses haven’t felt the relief. Why?
Because the real cost pressure isn’t just unit prices. It’s:
Non-commodity charges (network fees, levies, taxes)
Inefficient usage
Untransparent billing models (especially via third-party brokers)
Compliance-driven upgrades
Energy’s no longer just a line on your P&L. It’s a strategic risk—and a major opportunity if you handle it right.
Sector Snapshot: Who’s Feeling the Pain?
Manufacturing & Industry
Power-hungry operations are getting slammed. When energy is central to production, every unit matters.
Challenges:
Margin squeeze with little room to pass on costs
Spikes disrupt long-term planning
Carbon and compliance obligations are stacking up
Retail Chains
Lots of small sites = lots of complexity. And fragmented billing leads to overpayments and leakage.
Challenges:
Inconsistent procurement
Missed metering issues
Poor visibility across the estate
Hospitality & Leisure
Fridges. HVAC. Lighting. Comfort can’t be compromised—but bills keep climbing.
Challenges:
Volatile usage
Limited ability to cut demand
Tight margins
Multi-Tenanted Offices & Commercial Buildings
In multi-let spaces, energy isn’t just consumed—it’s redistributed. That makes billing accuracy, fairness, and auditability absolutely essential.
The key challenges:
Complex tenant-level billing
High stakes for transparency and cost recovery
UE focuses on getting the fundamentals right—clean data, reliable billing, and a platform that’s built for multi-tenanted complexity. That’s how we help landlords stay in control, even in a shifting energy landscape.
How to Fight Back: Strategies That Work
1. Start with Visibility
If you don’t know how, where, and why energy is being used, you can’t reduce it.
An energy audit helps uncover:
Wasteful patterns
Ageing, inefficient systems
Gaps in data or reporting
Audits also lay the foundation for smarter ESG reporting and compliance submissions—saving time and stress.
2. Upgrade with Intent
This isn’t just about swapping bulbs. It's about:
Smart BMS that actually manage usage
High-efficiency HVAC systems
Sub-metering and controls by zone or tenant
On-site generation (solar, heat pumps) is where viable
These upgrades aren’t just greener—they’re resilience tools in a volatile market.
3. Be Smart About Supply—Not Just Price
Here’s the catch: chasing the cheapest tariff doesn’t guarantee cheaper energy bills. Especially when:
Brokers can tack on hidden fees
Billing is unclear
Services don’t match operational needs
At Unify Energy, we don’t promise to be the cheapest on paper. Instead, we focus on total value. We’re the UK’s only Ofgem-regulated supplier that both supplies and manages multi-tenanted commercial buildings end-to-end—from usage to billing, compliance to recovery.
That means:
No surprises in your bills
No duplication of effort
No hidden third-party markups that inflate your actual cost
It’s not just about pence per kWh. It’s about delivering operational simplicity, tenant clarity, and compliance peace of mind.
4. Avoid the Broker Black Hole
We don’t shout about this, but here’s the reality: brokers often add opaque fees into energy deals, leading to unexpected bill creep later.
At Unify, we keep it direct and transparent. If we work with brokers, it’s selectively, and always with eyes wide open. That’s because we’re here to reduce energy costs in real terms, not chase misleading headlines. There are some great partners out there but unfortunately we’ve seen some real life examples of customers getting a bad deal and they’re not always aware.
5. Link Energy Strategy to Your ESG Game Plan
Energy is now deeply tied to brand value, investor expectations, and tender success.
By investing in:
Clean energy sources
Transparent reporting
Measurable reductions in carbon and usage
…you’re not just futureproofing—you’re future-positioning. This alignment opens doors with clients, funders, and regulatory bodies alike.
Why Transparency Is the Real Cost Saver
Let’s be blunt: most businesses don’t know what they’re actually paying for.
Between standing charges, broker fees, and vague pass-throughs, energy bills are often more fog than fact.
UE takes a different approach. As a regulated supplier, we:
Provide itemised, easy-to-read billing
Match compliance and audit standards out of the box
Help you recover tenant costs cleanly and accurately
Saves business capital
This isn’t a side service. It’s our niche. And for commercial property, it’s a game changer.
The Real Risk? Inaction.
Waiting for prices to drop is like waiting for a London summer. It might come, but you’re wasting time—and money—in the meantime.
If you:
Manage commercial or multi-occupancy space
Are you tired of unclear billing or broken broker promises
Need help aligning energy with ESG and compliance
Then don’t just switch your supplier. Switch strategy.
Let’s Build a Smarter Energy Plan
At Unify Energy, we work with companies that are ready to take control of their energy strategy. That means:
Real insight—not generic PDFs that get filed and forgotten
Integrated management from supply contracts to tenant-level billing
Transparent pricing with no grey areas or hidden fees
Because in a world of rising costs, clarity is the one thing that always pays off.
📩 hello@unifyenergy.co.uk
📞 0330 058 0580 Speak to our expert account managers
