As the colder temperatures set in and talks of snow begin to flutter around offices and homes, winter has certainly arrived in the UK. Unfortunately the usual excitement of Christmas, New Year, and winter markets has been clouded by the current cost of living crisis and the rise in energy costs. As both households and businesses face rising bills, now is a particularly difficult time and one that requires people to take a more cautious approach to spending.  If you are a small business owner, we are sure you will certainly be feeling the pinch. And with the energy crisis set to continue into 2023, budgeting is now more essential than ever. In this latest blog, we will be offering our support to small businesses who are looking to budget for the rising costs of electricity and gas.  Creating a budget for your small business Budgeting is a vital part or running any business, and when you run a small business you’ll know that every penny counts. A budget should incorporate details about all the costs your business will incur over the next period. When creating a budget you need realistic figures, so taking into account what you have spent previously will be most beneficial.  To know how to budget with your rising energy bills in mind, it would be useful to use the past few energy bills you have received. You may also want to contact your energy supplier to discuss your direct debit payments and agree an amount that works for your business. This way you can plan for the next few months. Your budget can then be altered to review ‘what if’ scenarios, such as your energy bills increasing.  Tips for creating a budget: Consider all your costs both fixed and variable Take a look at your previous sales and use this to produce a sales forecast  Factor in any one off costs such as a large payment for a replacement item or maintenance repairs to your premises that you are aware of  Plan regular budget reviews  Put aside an emergency budget for when needed With the right approach to creating a budget for your business it is possible to budget in for the rising energy costs, however there is support available for small businesses and solutions for saving energy to reduce these bills.  How to save on energy costs during winter?  There are several steps you can take, as a small business owner, to reduce your energy consumption and thus save money on your energy bills this winter. We have touched on several of these tips in previous blogs, which you can read here. Alternatively, for additional support, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our customer service team, who can support you during this time.  Support available to SMEs  Currently, there are a number of schemes and grants available via both the government and the energy suppliers for small businesses. These schemes have been designed for those businesses who can not afford to cover the rising costs of their energy bills. regulator , Ofgem, has further information about the various types of support available on their website. Guidance on the current Energy Bill Relief Scheme, provided by the government can be found here, and on our blog. 

Within the energy sector there are plenty of terms to get to grips with. As a business looking to save money on your energy bills, understanding what all these terms mean will help. One such term that you will almost certainly have come across will be EPC rating. In this latest article, we will be delving into exactly what EPC means and how this relates to businesses.  What is EPC?  An EPC or energy perform certificate is used to rate how energy efficient a building is. This is used for both domestic and commercial buildings. The ratings, as shown on the graph, are between A to G. A building with a rating of ‘A’ is considered the most efficient, and ‘G’ being the least efficient. An accredited assessor will provide an EPC certificate which is then valid for 10 years.  An EPC for a commercial building must be obtained whenever a property is built, sold or let. This is the responsibility of the building landlord or owner. So, if you are renting a commercial building, you will need to be shown the EPC certificate during the tenancy agreement process.  How an EPC is determined As mentioned above, an accredited assessor will visit a property to determine the EPC rating. They will do this by taking into account a number of factors:  The age and size of the property  The main heating systems Lighting – whether any energy saving light bulbs or low energy light bulbs are in use Windows – if you have double glazing or higher After reviewing these areas of the property, the assessor will make some calculations and provide an EPC rating using the scale mentioned above. Along with this, property owners or landlords will be provided with guidance on how to improve their property EPC if this is particularly poor.  There are some buildings that do not require an EPC according to the UK government, these include: Places of worship Temporary buildings that will be used for less than 2 years Stand-alone buildings with total useful floor space of less than 50 square metres Industrial sites, workshops and non-residential agricultural buildings that do not use a lot of energy Some buildings that are due to be demolished Holiday accommodation that’s rented out for less than 4 months a year or is let under a licence to occupy Listed buildings – you should get advice from your local authority conservation officer if the work would alter the building’s character Residential buildings intended to be used less than 4 months a year Goals for a net zero future  With the government’s goals to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, the rules regarding EPC ratings are changing. Over the course of the next 10 years, these rules will become stricter for all. This is to encourage as many building owners and landlords as possible to make positive changes to the energy efficiency of their properties.  At the start of 2023, plans have been put in place for all commercial properties that are under tenancy to an EPC rating of E or better. As it stands this will require some landlords to make improvements now to meet the upcoming requirements.  How to Improve a Commercial EPC Rating Landlords and commercial property owners can improve the EPC rating of a business premises by completing several tasks. Some of the most common and effective ways to do this are: To improve the insulation of the building  Change the lighting to LED lights  Ensure double glazing is installed in all windows Draught proof the property  Switch to renewable energy sources such as solar panels  For more about EPC ratings and how to save on your business energy, why not get in touch with a member of the D-ENERGi team. We’re here to help!

At D-ENERGi we work hard to provide all our business customers with the best business energy prices. We work closely with many care homes and residential homes across the UK, to keep them warm, dry, and well-lit while offering the best rates for business energy.  Throughout the upcoming winter season, care homes will be paying close attention to energy consumption, ensuring that while residents are cared for, bills are not too high. In this latest blog we will offer our best advice to any business customers looking to save on business energy.  Take control of your business energy with a smart meter  Smart meters are not just for domestic energy customers. Business energy meters are now available for businesses across the country to take full control of their business energy. Helping to manage usage and lower prices. Not only will you be able to track your usage, but the data a smart meter for businesses provides will be automatically sent to your energy supplier, so you can be sure your bills are as accurate as can be. How to monitor your business energy consumption? If you are concerned you may be using more energy than the average company in your care home, it may be time to consider installing a business energy smart meter.  As previously mentioned, a business energy smart meter will help you monitor your energy usage, reviewing your consumption, giving you a chance to better manage your energy usage. You may also wish to speak with your energy supplier if you believe your bills are too high. It is advisable to read your bills thoroughly when you receive them to be sure the information provided is correct. If you do not understand how to read an energy bill this blog may help you. Ways to reduce your energy consumption  If you already have a smart meter installed in your care home and have noticed your energy consumption seems too high, here are some quick tips to help you better manage your energy consumption: Check the electrical appliances and the heating apparatus of your residential home to ensure these are working properly. Typically, newer appliances are far more economical.  Switch off electric equipment and tools when not in use. Although this may be difficult in a care home during winter, you may find there are many appliances that are regularly left running when not needed. This could include televisions, and radios.   Set a comfortable temperature on the thermostat and keep this regulated. Your residents will likely appreciate this also!  Create an energy saving culture amongst your employees. Encourage your care home staff to check thermostats regularly and switch off appliances between shifts. Why not speak to a member of our team for other top tips! For your free no obligation quote please call us on 0800 781 2700

Knowing the average energy consumption of a typical business, is a great way for small businesses to estimate their annual energy consumption. This helps when forecasting costs for the year and ensuring everything is budgeted for. Although the average figure will differ slightly depending on the size and type of business, our latest blog is taking a closer look at the average energy consumption of a small business, including figures for business electricity and business gas.  What is considered a small business? According to the UK government an SME (as they are referred to) are small to medium sized enterprises that have fewer than 250 employees and take in a turnover of less than £50 million. If a company has fewer than 50 employees with a turnover of less than £10 million, this is considered a small business. Those with less than 10 employees and a turnover of £2 million are considered to be micro businesses.  Small businesses in the UK will use between 15,000 kWh and 30,000 kWh of gas each year, and 15,000 kWh and 25,000 kWh of electricity a year when looking at the latest industry figures.  Different types of industries and their energy consumption  Of course, the industry your company is in will make a difference in the amount of energy you consume. For example, those working in manufacturing services will, on average, use more energy in comparison to other industries in the UK. Other high energy consuming industries include construction and agriculture.  According to data from the ONS, the service sector, which includes small businesses such as retail stores and restaurants saw a decrease in energy consumption in the period between 2019 and 2020 by 6%. This could be due to a change in consumer behaviour, with businesses becoming more aware of zero-carbon energy and the impact of fossil fuels on the environment. As part of efforts to go green and reduce business costs, many service-based small businesses will have lowered their energy consumption, reducing their annual usage.  How to monitor your business energy consumption? If you are concerned you may be using more energy than the average company in your sector, it may be time to consider installing a business energy smart meter.  Smart meters are not just for domestic households! A business energy smart meter will help you monitor your energy usage, reviewing your consumption, giving you a chance to better manage your energy consumption. Plus, all your readings will be automatically sent to your energy supplier, so you don’t have to worry about taking meter readings. This will help you to avoid overestimated energy bills and provide more accurate readings to your supplier.  If you would like to know more about business smart meters, get in touch with our team today!  What to do if your business energy consumption is too high  If you already have a smart meter installed in your small business and have noticed your energy consumption seems too high, here are some quick ways to reduce your usage: Carry out a thorough inspection of your business equipment, you may need to upgrade to more economical solutions.  Switch off electric equipment and tools when not in use! This includes lighting and heating, which will make up a large portion of your energy bills.  Set a comfortable temperature on the thermostat and keep this regulated.  Create an energy saving culture amongst your employees.  For other great tips on keeping your business energy consumption low, take a look at another of our great blogs!