Business energy renewal quotes before your end date (UK, 2026)

Most UK business energy contracts let you lock in renewal pricing up to 12 months ahead of your end date. Starting the renewal early protects you from out-of-contract (OOC) deemed rates and from missing the cheapest available windows in 2026.

  • When to start: typical lock-in windows by supplier (May 2026)
  • Why OOC deemed rates can be 2–3× your in-contract price
  • Documents you need to get accurate non-domestic quotes
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Business energy is not protected by the Ofgem domestic price cap. Contract terms and termination windows vary materially between suppliers.

Fast answer (June 2026)

For most UK business energy suppliers in 2026 you can request and accept renewal quotes up to 12 months before your contract end date. The contract you sign now will start at your existing end date — pricing is locked at the May 2026 wholesale level for the whole new term.

Under Ofgem's 2025 Microbusiness Strategic Review (rules in force since April 2025), microbusinesses get clearer renewal notices, a 30-day cooling-off period for verbal contracts, and capped broker uplift disclosures. These protections still don't extend the price-cap to non-domestic accounts — the cheapest deal is what you negotiate or compare for.

Out-of-contract "deemed rates" can be 2–3× your current in-contract price. If your end date passes without a signed renewal you can be on deemed rates for up to 12 months before you can switch away under standard supplier terms.

When to start your renewal — a realistic timeline

  1. 12 months out: Take indicative pricing for awareness. Don't sign yet unless wholesale prices have fallen sharply.
  2. 6–9 months out: Best window to lock in for most micro/small businesses — long enough to shop around, short enough that suppliers commit to a price.
  3. 3–6 months out: Acceptable but supplier price tickets become more volatile around quarterly cap reviews.
  4. 0–3 months out: Tightening. Send your Letter of Authority (LOA) to a broker or your direct supplier ASAP.
  5. Past end date: You're on OOC/deemed. Sign anything compliant immediately to stop the bleed.

Get business renewal quotes

Tell us your end date and supply numbers and we'll come back with shortlisted renewal quotes from our business-energy panel.

  • Whole-of-market UK business suppliers
  • Microbusiness-compliant broker disclosures
  • No obligation

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Microbusiness? See the Ofgem Microbusiness Strategic Review for your statutory protections.

Renewal lock-in windows by supplier (June 2026)

Supplier Max lock-in ahead Min notice to terminate
British Gas Business12 months30 days
EDF Business12 months30 days (microbusiness) / 60 days (SME+)
E.ON Next Business12 months30 days
SSE Business9 months30 days
Drax12 months90 days
Smartest Energy / Engie Solutions12 months60 days
Yu Energy / Pozitive9 months30 days

Always check your specific contract — termination/renewal windows can be tighter for larger SME and half-hourly metered sites.

What you need for accurate renewal quotes

  • Latest bill or supplier statement (last 12 months ideally)
  • MPAN(s) for electricity, MPRN(s) for gas
  • Contract end date and current unit/standing rates
  • Annual consumption (kWh) — last 12 months
  • For HH metered electricity: HH data file or supplier-issued AMR data
  • Signed Letter of Authority (LOA) if you're using a broker

Business renewal FAQs (June 2026)

Most large UK suppliers accept signed renewals 6–12 months before the end date. The new contract starts at your current end date with the price locked from signing.
A default tariff applied when you're out of contract — usually 2–3× the rate you'd have locked in. Some suppliers charge daily "OOC" rates that update monthly, others a single 12-month deemed contract.
Yes — once your renewal/termination window opens. Give written notice to the existing supplier (recorded delivery is wise) and sign with the new supplier so the contracts dovetail at the end date.
From April 2025, suppliers must issue plain-English renewal notices, provide cooling-off periods on verbal contracts, and brokers must disclose commission uplift. Eligibility: < 10 employees, < £2m turnover, < 100,000 kWh electricity OR < 293,000 kWh gas.
Quotes typically expire same-day or within 24 hours. Wholesale prices move daily. Sign the same day the quote is offered to lock the price.
A good broker can save time by quoting across multiple suppliers and handling LOAs. Always ask for the broker uplift in pence per kWh — Ofgem's 2025 rules require it to be disclosed up-front for microbusinesses.
Auto-renewals (silent rollovers) were banned for microbusinesses from October 2022 and are now uncommon for SMEs too. If you receive an auto-renewal letter at an inflated rate, you have the right to terminate and switch.

How we assess this

Written by:
EnergyPlus Business Team
Reviewed by:
EnergyPlus Energy Specialist
Last updated
May 2026

Supplier lock-in and termination windows are based on standard contract terms published as at May 2026 and may not apply to bespoke or legacy contracts. Business energy is not protected by the Ofgem domestic price cap.

Sources

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Updated on 2 Jun 2026