Businesses could see their energy bills reduced by up to a half as part a mutli-billion pound government rescue package.
Under the Government Energy Bill Relief Scheme, the amount they pay for gas and electricity will be capped for the next six months.
The scheme is aimed at preventing thousands of firms going bust because they can’t afford to pay their energy bills.
It will also apply to the voluntary sector like charities and the public sector such as schools and hospitals.
The announcement comes after Liz Truss announced that a typical household will pay no more than £2,500 a year for their energy until October, 2024.
At the time, she said an “equivalent” scheme would be brought in to get hard-pressed firms cope with soaring energy costs this winter.
Under the business scheme, said non-domestic customers will pay £211 per MWh for electricity and £75 per MWh for gas – less than half the wholesale prices anticipated this winter.
That could knock up to a half off bills this winter – but the support package runs out in April, unless a business is deemed to be particularly vulnerable.
Truss said: “I understand the huge pressure businesses, charities and public sector organisations are facing with their energy bills, which is why we are taking immediate action to support them over the winter and protect jobs and livelihoods.
“As we are doing for consumers, our new scheme will keep their energy bills down from October, providing certainty and peace of mind.
“At the same time, we are boosting Britain’s homegrown energy supply so we fix the root cause of the issues we are facing and ensure greater energy security for us all.”
