It’s impossible to avoid talking about energy prices right now – the 54% increase in the energy price cap has got households across the country on the brink of a cost of living crisis (if not already embroiled in one).
But it’s not just households that are feeling the squeeze, these are worrying times for business owners across the country – we’re still recovering from the pandemic, Brexit could be biting for decades, and now we’re facing ridiculously high business energy bills.
Here’s what some business owners have to say about the impending energy bills crisis.
How are small business owners dealing with rocketing energy prices?
Following the Ofgem announcement of 54% a price cap rise for England, Wales and Scotland, PR platform Newspage asked small businesses for their views and experiences. Here’s what they had to say:
Kerry Mackay – Owner at ScrubbiesUK
“Having clawed my way out of food bank poverty, here I am, three years on, running my business wrapped in a blanket. This sharp increase in energy prices is a massive blow to businesses and people around the UK.”
Jade Newman – Founder at Earth Symbols
“I’m gravely concerned about the rise in energy prices. Running a small business from home that relies on electricity to run my 3D printers, my business overheads have an impact on my family budget. I shopped around for a good renewable energy supplier but I am currently unsure if they will be raising their prices. Right now my electricity bill is exactly half the price of my monthly mortgage cost. If it goes any higher it will have a huge impact on our family budget. “I feel that the continual energy price rises haven’t been monitored or regulated sufficiently. Energy companies, especially the large ones with a monopoly, are exploiting UK consumers. Being able to heat your home or cook your meals shouldn’t be a luxury that only a select few can afford.”
Malcolm Baker – Breeder at Halo Dart Frogs
“RIP the self-employed and sole traders. This price rise is going to kill small businesses. Such a massive rise will hit the pockets of the lower income families and those who like myself are disabled and need to have constant heat in the home. For those people and myself there is no choice between eat or heat. It’s go hungry to stay safe.”
Liam Bilson – Director at Letterbox Love
“As a small business, the UK is becoming an increasingly difficult country to operate in. Our supplier costs are inevitably going to increase due to the cost of production going up as a result of the energy price increases, so the price for customers will also have to increase, making it a lot harder to remain competitive. We specialise in affordable gifts to comfort and empower people but affordability is being stretched to the limit. First the pandemic and now an energy and cost of living crisis. It’s brutal out there.”
Amy Baker – Owner at Halo Beauty and Holistic Therapy
“The rise in the energy price cap will not only affect us all personally but is possibly the final nail in the coffin for the beauty industry. Customers will have less disposable funds to spend on non-essential purchases. We are struggling to earn enough to heat our own homes and it looks set to get worse. Our industry has had no government help since Covid began and now the energy crisis is going to be another pandemic for the personal care industry. The whole outlook is bleak.”
How a conference call can help cut your overheads
If you’re in the position have you and your staff members work from home, even just a couple of days a week, this can help cut costs on renting a business premises as well as commuting. And having a reliable and cost-effective conference call provider can help ensure no one needs to miss out on a meting.
Using a teleconference service can also cut down on travel costs if you ever need to hold meetings off-site. We even have a list of international conference call dialing codes to make calling overseas cheaper and help you cut down on cross-continent travel costs.
