Bypassing, or tampering with your meter may appear to be a harmless way to save money, but it can have fatal consequences. Every year, energy theft puts innocent lives at risk. We have reported on a story where a London Business owner caused one of his employees’ deaths after bypassing a meter so that their energy consumption was not recorded. This resulted in, not only the tragic loss of life of a colleague, but also a 4-year prison sentence and a £40,000 fine. Read the full article here.
Report Energy Theft
Energy theft is dangerous. It puts you and your loved ones in danger. If someone you know is tampering with their gas or electricity meter, make sure you report it 100% anonymously here.
Support Available to Businesses for Energy Bills
Set up an Energy Payment Plan
If you are becoming concerned about how you will pay your business's energy bills, contact your supplier. Your supplier may be able to come up with a payment plan which is easier to manage. You can request things like: a review of your debt repayments and payments, reduction or a payment break, extra time to pay, and access to hardship funds.
Check Business Finance Schemes and Grants
From Suppliers
Many energy companies will provide programmes or grants which will help you improve your business's energy efficiency. Some will offer subsidies on the initial cost of energy-efficient equipment or provide you with business hardship funds. To find out what your supplier has to offer contact them directly.
From the Government
To find out what support the government has, use the GOV.UK business finance support finder.
Your local council will have schemes in place like sustainable business growth grants, which help support small businesses. Ask your local council about what is available to you here.
From Charities
Some charities offer free grant services. Click here to see what Grants Online has to offer.
To get more information on the business funds that charities offer and how to apply for them, visit the website Lets Talk.
Get Business Debt Advice
If your business has pre-existing debt, or is getting into debt due to the current challenges, it’s important you get debt advice which will not only help you manage it but also give you advice on how to budget. The business debt line is a free independent charity which offers debt advice both over the phone and online.
5 Tips for Businesses to Reduce Energy Bills
Be Clever with Heating
It’s important not to overheat your building, as each degree warmer you go, can increase your bills by 8%. The recommended temperature is between 20°C and 22°C.
Ensuring your radiators are out of the way from any furniture means you are using your radiators to their highest potential. Moving any tables, cupboards, or sofas will prevent any heat from being absorbed. You can also put radiator reflector foil behind your radiators as it reflects heat back into the room rather than letting it go through your walls.
The position of your thermostat can influence your meter reading. It should not be placed in a particularly draughty area or in direct sunlight. Placing your thermostat in the centre of the building will provide you with the most accurate reading which will help you keep your energy consumption as low as possible.
Using Efficient Lighting
Energy-efficient lighting reduces electricity bills, without impairing on the quality of lighting. Switching to LED lighting is a great way to save money. Every time you replace a traditional or halogen bulb with an LED bulb you save between £1 and £4 annually, and once replaced they last a lot longer too. To know which LED bulb will work best for you, click here.
Reduce Water Consumption
Businesses can use a lot of water in their daily operations. Simple ways to reduce water consumption include:
Using spray levels with low flow - pre-rinse spray valves should be replaced with more recent models that have lower gallons per minute (GPM) ratings. The valves consume a lot less water than the earlier types and are simple to replace.
Installing low-flow aerators - taps that are used for things like washing hands, don’t need a high GPM flow rating. Using low-flow aerators limits the amount of water flowing out of the tap. The lower the GPM, the more you save on heating water that is just going down the drain.
Repairing any leaks or damaged pipes - although this may sound obvious, over time, drips from just one leaky tap adds up massively. Many modern taps are made to be quickly and easily replaced without calling a plumber. Stop drips. Stop waste.
Turn Off Equipment Not in Use
Many businesses waste large amounts of energy by leaving lights and equipment on when they are not needed. Observing when equipment is most in use will allow you to create a schedule for starting and shutting down equipment. Computers, monitors, and lights, for example, should be turned off as soon as they are no longer needed.
Use Energy Efficient Equipment
Commercial equipment has a significant impact on energy consumption, especially in the hospitality industry. Here are a few ideas to help you reduce your energy consumption.
Switching to induction hobs - these use 50% less energy than traditional gas or electric hobs.
Using steam ovens - they can cut costs by 40% by using more advanced technologies such as triple-glazed viewing doors and heat recirculation.
Refrigeration - refrigeration can account for as much as 43% of your total electricity consumption, so it’s important you follow these tips:
- Position your fridge away from any heat sources, as this requires them to use more energy to reach their required temperature
- Keep fridge doors closed whenever possible
- Keep your refrigerator’s condensers, evaporators, and cooling equipment clean
- Defrost and clean your fridge regularly
- Make sure the seals on your refrigerator and cold room are intact
Deep fat fryers - make sure you have the latest model as these not only heat up faster, but also use 50% less energy. Small businesses tend to buy pre-owned fryers, and although this saves money at the time, it leads to higher costs in the long term.
For more ways to save, click here.
Not all these tips will work for everyone, but once you have implemented those that work for you and your business, there is still help available, should you need it.
You can call Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 or speak to an advisor online
Or contact the Government’s Business Support Helpline