The cost of your business gas bills can be affected by any number of things, from the location of your business premises to the number of staff you employ and, obviously, the amount of gas you use.

To give you a rough idea of how much you should be paying, here are the average annual gas bills for SMEs:

• Microbusinesses pay an average of £430 a year
• Small businesses pay an average of £856 a year
• Medium-sized businesses pay an average of £1,424 a year

Each business uses energy differently, so the figures above should only be used as a guide when working out the rates you should be paying. Speak to the energy experts at Bionic and we’ll find a business gas tariff that suits the exact needs of your business.

If your gas bills are too high, an overpriced tariff might not be the only reason - you might simply be using too much energy. This could be down to bad habits - such as leaving the heating on too high - or the fact that your business premises isn’t as energy efficient as it should be.

To give you a rough idea of how much gas you should be using, here are the average annual gas consumption figures SMEs

• Microbusinesses use an average of 10,000 kWh a year
• Small businesses use an average of 25,000 kWh a year
• Medium-sized businesses use an average of 45,000 kWh a year

For more information, check out our guide to average business energy consumption.

When you switch business gas suppliers with Bionic, we’ll handle the whole thing for you from start to finish. This means that once you’ve chosen the deal you like from our list of quotes, we will:

• Let both your old and new gas supplier know about the switch
• Keep you informed of switching dates
• Handle your renewals to give you one less thing to worry about

The only thing you’ll need to do is give your old supplier one last meter reading on the day of the switch, so they can send you an accurate final bill.

We can also help you cut your business electricity bills - give us a call to see how much you could save.

MPRN is a unique number for your gas meter. It will be up to 11 numbers in length and is used to identify the meter at your business premises.

You should be able to find your MPRN on your business gas bill under the "Details of charges/" heading.

You can also search online for your MPRN by entering your postcode at Find My Supplier or by calling the meter number helpline on 0870 608 1524. Simply tell them your business postcode and the first line of your address and they’ll let you know your MPRN and the name of your current gas supplier.

It’s unlikely that your gas meter will need replacing if it’s a standard meter. If you have a smart meter, you may need to switch meters if the one you have isn’t compatible with your new supplier. For more information, check out our guide to smart meters for business.

Although you can cut the cost of your business gas bills by being more energy efficient, commercial gas prices are affected by a number of factors, many of which are out of your control. Wholesale prices are the main driver behind the rates you pay, and these can be affected by problems with the supply chain and fluctuations in currency prices, along with regulator fees and government levies.

Even a cold winter can push up gas prices for business, as freezing temperatures increase demand.

The best way to protect your business from increasing gas prices is to lock in your rates with a fixed term contract - although your energy bills will still vary according to your usage, fixing your rates means the price you pay for each unit of gas you use will stay the same for the duration of your deal.

Most businesses pay the standard 20% VAT on gas, but you might qualify for the lower 5% rate if you run a charity or not-for-profit organisation. You might also qualify for a discount if you use less than 4,397kWh each month – if you’re not sure how much you use, you can find the exact figure on your latest bill.

If you qualify for the lower rate, ask your gas supplier for a VAT declaration form. Find out more about VAT and business energy in our guide to VAT for business gas and electricity.

Even if your gas is supplied by an IGT, there’s nothing stopping you from comparing gas prices and switching suppliers, but you might find your switch takes a bit longer and the deal you’re offered might not be as competitive as others.

This is because the costs involved in supplying and maintaining IGTs are relatively high, which means the standing charge is often higher. And when you compare gas quotes, the extra IGT charges won’t be included, so you’ll also have to factor these costs in on top of the rates you’re offered. It’s important to compare deals from a range of suppliers, as you might find some of the bigger providers will take on the IGT charges to get your custom.

The amount you can save by switching business gas depends upon the following factors:

• The size of your business
• The size of your business premises
• The location of your business premises
• The number of staff you employ
• The overall energy efficiency of your business and premises

To find out how much money your business could save, give our tech enabled energy experts a call now on 0800 084 1911, and run a commercial gas comparison. We’ll find the right business gas quote for your business in a matter of minutes.

Business gas prices are always changing. The only way to make sure you’re on the best deal is to compare prices and switch. And remember, signing up to a new deal as soon as your switching window opens can help you lock in lower rates and beat any energy price rises.

Although business and domestic measurement units are the same, the tariffs are not. Business and domestic deals are very different in both cost and contract type.

Although business energy may appear more expensive, the rates offered are usually cheaper and bills only appear more expensive because VAT is charged at a standard rate of 20% on business gas and electricity, as opposed to 5% on domestic energy.

Microbusiness gas is simply a business gas deal that’s been designed for a microbusiness.

A micro business is one that has no more than 10 employees and a turnover of less than £1.7 million. Often suppliers can offer special rates for these kinds of enterprises.

The threshold for qualifying as a microbusiness are as follows, you must:

• Consume less than 200,000 kWh of gas a year, or
• Consume less than 55,000 kWh of electricity a year, or
• Have fewer than ten employees (or their full-time equivalent) and an annual turnover or annual balance sheet total not exceeding € 2 million (£1.7 million).