The short version
A business energy broker compares prices across suppliers, negotiates a contract on your behalf, and handles the switch. Unlike households, businesses cannot just pick a tariff from a comparison website — business energy is priced per customer, based on your usage, meter type and credit profile. A broker's job is to make suppliers compete for your custom.
What a broker actually does, step by step
1. Reads your bill. One recent bill reveals your current rates, annual usage, meter numbers and contract end date — everything needed to price your supply properly.
2. Requests prices across the market. We ask 35 UK suppliers to quote for your supply. Suppliers routinely offer brokers rates they do not advertise, because brokered customers arrive ready to sign.
3. Compares like for like. A low unit rate with a high standing charge can cost a small business more overall. A good broker compares the estimated annual total, not the headline number.
4. Handles the paperwork. Contract, Letter of Authority, notice to your old supplier, the switch itself — the broker manages it. Your supply is never interrupted; the same wires and pipes deliver your energy whoever bills you.
5. Watches your renewal. The most expensive mistake in business energy is missing your notice window and rolling onto a new year at uncompetitive rates. A broker diarises it so you do not have to.
How does a broker get paid?
Brokers are paid a commission by the supplier you choose, built into the contract rate — you do not receive a separate bill from the broker. This means the comparison and switch service costs you nothing upfront. It also means you should always ask a broker how many suppliers they compare: a broker working with only a handful of suppliers is not showing you the whole market.
What to watch out for
Cold callers pushing one supplier. A genuine broker compares many suppliers and shows you options. Anyone urging you to sign with one supplier on the spot is a salesperson, not a broker.
Verbal contracts. Never agree to an energy contract on a recorded phone call without seeing the full rates and terms in writing first.
Long contracts with no explanation. A four or five-year fix can be right for some businesses, but you should be told why, and shown the difference against shorter terms.
Do you need one?
You can approach suppliers yourself, but each quote means a separate conversation, and you will never know whether the price you accepted was genuinely competitive. If your contract has ended and you are on deemed rates — typically 40–80% above a negotiated deal — the cost of doing nothing dwarfs the effort of a ten-minute conversation with a broker.