Business energy brokers, explained
What a broker actually does, how they get paid, and how to tell a good one from a bad one.
Your renewal quote lands on a Tuesday morning. It is well up on last year, the supplier wants an answer by Friday, and you have a business to run. That is when most people first think about using a broker. It is also the worst possible moment to be working out what one actually is.
In short
- A broker tenders your contract across a supplier panel and is paid by the supplier you choose, not by you.
- A comparison site gives you a list. A broker runs the process and stays with the account.
- The vetting questions matter more than the sales pitch. Commission disclosure is the one that separates them.
Start with the basics
- What is an energy broker?. The role, the market, and where a broker sits between you and the supplier.
- What does a business energy broker do?. The actual tasks, from tender to contract to renewal monitoring.
- How brokers get paid. Commission, how it reaches your unit rate, and what we disclose.
Work out whether you need one
- Are energy brokers worth it?. Including the cases where going direct is the better call.
- Broker or direct to suppliers?. What changes about price, admin and support when you cut out the middle.
- Broker or comparison site?. Two different products that look identical from the outside.
- Broker or consultant?. Where the line sits, and which one your situation calls for.
- What a business energy consultant does. Strategy, purchasing and compliance, and when a fee is justified.
Choose the right one
- How to choose a business energy broker. A checklist you can apply to any broker, including ours.
- How to check a broker is legitimate. Registration, disclosure, and the questions that separate the two.
- How to compare quotes properly. Why the lowest unit rate rarely means the lowest total cost.
- What our customers say. Independent reviews and where to find them.
If you are already in trouble
- Out-of-contract rates. How businesses end up there and how to get off them.
- When to renew. The window that matters and what happens if you miss it.
- Bill audit and refunds. How to check whether you have been overcharged.
- Multi-site and multi-utility management. Running supplies across several sites or several utilities.
- Small business energy. How the market treats smaller accounts differently.
- Commercial utility procurement. Outsourcing procurement, and what the process looks like.
Where Clearsight fits
Clearsight Energy is an independent UK business utility broker, founded in 2019, with a team of between 10 and 20 people. We have been recognised at the Energy Live Consultancy Awards every year since 2022, including a 2024 win for Best Customer Service (SME), and were shortlisted for Consultancy of the Year at the Water Industry Awards in 2022.
Common questions
What does a business energy broker do?
A business energy broker tenders your electricity, gas, water or waste contract across a panel of suppliers, compares offers on total cost rather than unit rate alone, handles the switching paperwork, and monitors the contract so the renewal does not lapse.
How are energy brokers paid in the UK?
Most UK business energy brokers are paid a commission by the supplier, collected as a small uplift on the unit rate over the life of the contract. It is not invoiced to the customer separately.
Is an energy broker different from a comparison site?
Yes. A comparison site returns a list of prices and leaves the rest to you. A broker runs the tender, checks the contract terms, manages the switch and stays with the account afterwards.
Do I need a broker or an energy consultant?
A broker handles procurement and is paid by the supplier. A consultant advises on strategy, purchasing and compliance and is paid by the business. Larger or more complex portfolios tend to justify a consultant.
How do I check a business energy broker is legitimate?
Check how long the company has been registered at Companies House, whether it publishes its commission, whether it appears on independent review platforms, and whether it will confirm the commission in writing before you sign.
Can a broker handle water and waste as well as energy?
Some can. Clearsight Energy handles business electricity, gas, water, waste collection and card payment terminals, which gives a business one renewal calendar instead of several.
“No pressurised selling was involved, just clear and constructive advice.”
Clearsight Energy helps UK businesses compare, understand and manage their energy and water contracts.