Government announces energy bill support for businesses
The government has unveiled support for households, businesses and public sector organisations facing rising energy bills.
A new Energy Bill Relief Scheme will provide help with the cost of gas and electricity for all non-domestic customers, including all UK businesses and voluntary and public sector organisations. The scheme will apply to fixed contracts agreed on or after 1 April 2022, as well as to deemed, variable and flexible tariffs for energy usage from 1 October to 31 March.
Customers do not need to take action or apply to the scheme to access the support, which will automatically be applied to bills. After three months, there will be a review into the operation of the scheme to inform decisions on further support after March 2023.
The level of price reduction for each business will depend on their contract type and circumstances. A parallel scheme, based on the same criteria and offering comparable support but recognising the different market fundamentals, will be established in Northern Ireland.