If you’re a UK business owner, finance lead or operations manager responsible for a site that uses gas as part of its day-to-day operations, knowing when and how to switch supplier can help you avoid rushed renewals and make a more informed decision about your next business energy contract.
Switching business gas supplier involves reviewing your current agreement, comparing the market and arranging a new contract that better suits your business.
In this guide, we explain each stage of the process, including what information you need, how to find your MPRN, what can delay a switch, how long the process can take and what to compare before choosing a new supplier.
The key is getting the timing and contract details right. Most business energy suppliers will not let you switch before your current contract allows it. Business Utility Hub can review your position, compare suitable business gas offers and manage the switching process for you.
Can you switch your business gas supplier?
Yes. UK microbusinesses can switch business gas supplier, but when you can move depends on your current business energy contract.
Ofgem classifies a business as a microbusiness if it meets certain employee, turnover or energy-use thresholds. Microbusinesses still use commercial energy contracts, so switching works differently from changing a domestic tariff.
If you are on a fixed-term business gas contract, check the contract end date, notice requirements and any early termination terms. Most business suppliers will not allow you to switch before the agreement ends, and commercial contracts generally do not come with the same cooling-off rights as domestic energy contracts.
If your fixed term has ended and you are paying deemed or out-of-contract rates, you may have more freedom to move to a new supplier. These arrangements can also be more expensive than a negotiated business gas contract, so it is worth reviewing your options promptly.
Microbusinesses also have some additional protections. For example, rollover contracts cannot run for more than 12 months, and eligible microbusiness customers can take unresolved supplier or broker complaints to the Energy Ombudsman.
Checking your contract early gives you more time to compare suppliers, understand the terms and avoid making a rushed decision at renewal. Ofgem provides further guidance on setting up and reviewing a business energy contract.
You can also compare business gas prices and contracts with Business Utility Hub before deciding whether switching is right for your microbusiness.
Does your business qualify as a micro-business?
Ofgem defines a micro-business by reference to several thresholds, and meeting any one of them is enough. Your business qualifies if it uses no more than 293,000 kWh of gas a year, or no more than 100,000 kWh of electricity, or if it has fewer than ten employees with turnover or a balance sheet total not exceeding around £1.7 million.
A surprising number of businesses qualify on consumption alone. If yours does, you have protections that larger customers do not:
Your supplier must give you the key renewal terms at least 60 days before your contract ends, so you should not be caught out by a renewal date.
An automatic rollover cannot exceed 12 months.
You can take an unresolved complaint about your supplier to the Energy Ombudsman.
We can tell you whether your site qualifies when we review your position, because it affects what you are entitled to as well as what you pay.
How does a business gas switch work?
A business gas switch can be broken into seven practical steps. Having the correct information ready at the start makes it easier to compare business energy suppliers accurately and avoid delays.
Step 1: Check your current business gas contract
Start by establishing when your current contract ends and whether your current supplier can restrict the switch.
Check:
- Your current supplier.
- Contract end date and notice requirements.
- Whether you are on a fixed-term, rollover, deemed or out-of-contract energy tariff.
- Whether an exit fee could apply.
- Whether there are outstanding bills or account issues.
This establishes when a new energy supplier can take over the gas supply. Business Utility Hub can review your current contract position before you compare new options.
Step 2: Gather the information needed to switch business gas
A recent energy bill will usually contain much of the information needed for an accurate quote. Keep the latest energy bill to hand when you start comparing.
Have the following ready where possible:
- Business address.
- Current business energy supplier.
- Recent gas bill.
- Annual energy usage or estimated annual consumption.
- Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN).
- Meter details and recent meter readings.
- Current energy contract details.
Accurate information helps business energy providers price the site against actual energy usage. Smart meter data can also help where available.
Step 3: Compare business gas suppliers and contracts
Comparing business energy suppliers should involve more than choosing the lowest-looking unit rate.
Review unit rates, standing charges, contract length, payment terms, exit conditions and which charges are fixed or variable. Supplier service and green energy or renewable energy plans may also matter to your business energy needs.
Two offers with similar unit rates can produce different overall energy costs once standing charges and contract structures are included. Business Utility Hub monitors business energy prices daily and explains suitable contracts on a like-for-like basis.
Step 4: Choose your new business energy supplier
There is no single business energy supplier that is right for every company. When choosing a new energy supplier, look beyond the headline rate.
The best option depends on consumption, contract length, budget requirements, price certainty and supplier service. Choose a new supplier and energy tariff that suits how your business operates rather than relying on one headline price.
Step 5: Review and agree the new business gas contract
Before agreeing a new contract, check the full commercial terms.
Confirm the switch date, contract length, unit rates, standing charge, payment arrangements, exit terms and whether any costs can change during the agreement.
Most business energy contracts do not have the cooling-off rights associated with domestic energy contracts. An agreement made over the phone can also be legally binding, so ask for the terms in writing and review them before committing.
Step 6: Complete the supplier transfer
Once the new contract is agreed and the switch can take effect, the new supplier will normally manage the transfer with your current supplier.
The physical gas supply should continue during a normal supplier change. The commercial account moves from the old supplier to the new supplier, which should confirm the switch date and any further information required.
Step 7: Take an accurate meter reading
Take an accurate meter reading around the switch date and keep a copy.
Meter readings help the previous supplier prepare the closing bill and give the new supplier a starting point for the account. This can reduce confusion caused by estimated consumption.
If you have a smart meter, follow the new supplier's instructions and submit meter readings if requested.
Do you need your MPRN to switch business gas?
Your MPRN helps identify the gas supply point for your premises and is useful when switching business gas.
MPRN stands for Meter Point Reference Number. It is different from the serial number on the physical meter and can normally be found on a recent gas bill. If you cannot locate it, the Find My Supplier service can help identify your gas supplier and MPRN.
There is no MPAN number for gas. An MPAN identifies an electricity supply. If you are reviewing business electricity at the same time, you may therefore need the MPRN for gas and MPAN for electricity.
How long does it take to switch business gas?
There is no single end-to-end timeframe for every business gas switch because the existing contract determines when a new supplier can take over.
Once you are free to switch, the supplier-transfer stage can be relatively quick. However, contract restrictions, objections, incorrect details and outstanding debt can affect timing. Start comparing before the current contract ends so there is time to schedule the business energy switch correctly.
What can stop a business gas switch?
A switch can be delayed or objected to where there is a valid contractual or account issue.
Common causes include:
- Trying to leave a fixed-term contract too early.
- Not meeting notice conditions.
- Outstanding debt or bills.
- Incorrect business, meter or account details.
- Change-of-tenancy or ownership problems.
- An objection permitted under the existing contract.
If your current supplier objects, ask for the reason and check it against your contract. Your current supplier should explain the basis for an objection. Resolving an outstanding balance or correcting account information may allow the switch to continue.
Is there a penalty for switching business gas supplier?
There can be a cost for leaving a business energy contract early, depending on the terms agreed with your current provider.
A fixed-term contract may include an exit fee or prevent you from switching supplier before the agreed end date. Deemed and out-of-contract rates are different and may allow a business to switch without the same fixed-term restrictions.
Check the existing contract before trying to switch business energy supplier early.
How can a business energy specialist help with switching?
Switching business gas supplier involves more than choosing a new rate. You also need to understand your current contract position, compare suitable offers, check the terms and make sure the transfer is completed correctly.
A business energy specialist can take much of that work off your hands. At Business Utility Hub, we review your existing position, compare suitable business gas contracts across our supplier network and explain the differences clearly before you make a decision.
We can also manage the switching process once you have chosen your preferred contract, giving you one point of contact rather than requiring you to coordinate with several energy suppliers yourself.
Transparency is important when using any energy consultant. You should understand which suppliers are being compared, what authority you are giving and how the service is paid for. Citizens Advice provides further independent guidance on switching your business to a new energy supplier.
With Business Utility Hub, you’ll have a dedicated account manager who understands your sites, usage and contract dates, helping you manage the current switch and prepare for future renewals.
Can you switch business gas without switching electricity?
Yes. Business gas and business electricity usually have separate supply contracts, so you can switch gas without changing your business electricity supplier at the same time.
It can still be useful to review both. Comparing business energy across electricity and gas can highlight different renewal dates, contract terms or out-of-contract rates.
If both supplies are approaching renewal, Business Utility Hub can also help you compare business gas and electricity contracts together. We’ll review each supply separately and explain the options available before you agree new terms.
Switch business gas with Business Utility Hub
Switching business gas should give you a clearer view of your options, not create another administrative job for your team.
Business Utility Hub can review your current contract, establish when you can switch, compare business gas prices and contracts and manage the transfer. We check business energy prices daily and give you a dedicated account manager who understands your sites, usage and contract dates.
We support businesses of different sizes and with very different energy requirements. That includes SMEs looking for suitable business energy deals, as well as large and energy-intensive businesses managing higher consumption, multiple sites or more complex energy contracts.
Our team also works across sectors including manufacturing, care homes, hospitality and retail. The way a manufacturer uses gas can look very different from the requirements of a hotel or care provider, so we look at your actual usage, operations and contract position before comparing suitable options.
Our approach is transparent. We explain business energy contract terms clearly, there is no obligation to switch, and our commission appears in the principal terms of any contract we arrange, so you can see exactly what the service costs before you sign anything.
Review your energy contract before you sign elsewhere
To review your current gas contract or compare business energy options, speak to a Business Utility Hub energy specialist.
