How to become an energy broker in the UK
By Qazi Shahroz
Last updated:
To become a business energy broker in the UK you need access to suppliers' pricing, membership of a redress scheme if you will arrange contracts for small businesses, a sound grasp of the rules suppliers must follow when they work with you, and a steady source of business enquiries. No broker licence is required today. The government plans to bring brokers under Ofgem regulation, but no start date has been set.
What an energy broker does
An energy broker, also called a third-party intermediary or TPI, compares business gas and electricity prices from several suppliers and helps a business choose and sign a contract. The broker is usually paid a fee or commission built into the unit rate or standing charge.
Most of the work is commercial rather than technical. You find businesses that are open to a review, gather the information suppliers need to price a quote, present the options clearly, and manage the paperwork through to the contract going live. Good brokers also stay in touch through the contract so they are first in line at renewal.
Brokers range from one-person desks working from home to large firms with call centres, account managers and in-house pricing tools. The basics are the same at every size: supplier access, a compliant sales process, and a pipeline of businesses to talk to.
Getting access to supplier prices
You need a way to get live prices from suppliers. New brokers usually start by joining a larger broker's platform or a supplier panel, then apply for direct agreements once they have volume.
Direct supplier agreements give you the most control over pricing and commission, but suppliers normally want evidence of a track record, compliant sales scripts and enough contracts to justify an account manager. A platform or sub-broker arrangement lets you quote from day one in return for a share of the commission.
Whichever route you choose, ask in writing how commission is paid, when it is paid, what happens if a business leaves early, and who owns the customer relationship if you move on. Those answers decide your cash flow far more than the headline commission rate.
The rules that apply today
There is no broker licence today, but the rules suppliers must follow shape how you sell. Ofgem's Standards of Conduct have covered all non-domestic customers since 1 July 2024, and suppliers must show broker fees in a contract's principal terms for contracts signed from 1 October 2024.
In practice, that means the business should be told what it is paying you before it signs, and your sales process should treat customers fairly: clear information, no pressure, and no misleading claims about prices or savings.
From December 2024, suppliers may only work with brokers that belong to a qualifying redress scheme when securing contracts for small businesses. If you plan to sell to micro and small businesses, join a scheme before you start; without one, suppliers can't accept your small business contracts.
Read the detail in our guide to energy broker commission and disclosure rules.
Planned regulation of brokers
The government has said Ofgem will regulate third-party intermediaries once parliamentary time allows. No start date has been set, so there is no registration to apply for yet.
The government responded to its consultation on 23 October 2025. Until legislation passes and Ofgem sets out the details, the sensible approach is to run your brokerage as if closer scrutiny is coming: record calls, keep clear consent records, disclose fees plainly and handle complaints properly. Those habits cost little now and will make any future registration easier.
Compliance basics for a new brokerage
Before your first call, put in place a privacy notice, a complaints process, call recording, consent records and a way to screen numbers against the TPS and CTPS.
If you buy enquiries, check how consent was collected and that the business expects a call from a broker. If you call bought data, screen it against the Telephone Preference Service and Corporate Telephone Preference Service and honour every objection straight away. Keep a simple log of opt-outs and make sure everyone on your team uses it.
Register with the Information Commissioner's Office if your processing requires it, keep customer data secure, and only share it with the suppliers needed to price and place a contract. A short written process that your team actually follows is worth more than a long policy nobody reads.
Finding your first clients
Your first clients will come from your network, referrals, outbound calling or bought enquiries. Most new brokers combine two of these rather than relying on one.
Referrals from accountants, landlords and business networks are slow to build but convert well. Outbound calling gives you control over volume but needs careful screening and resilient callers. Buying live enquiries lets you start conversations with businesses that have asked to be contacted, at a known cost per lead.
Our real-time business energy leads start at £40 per lead, with a 15-lead first order, and each paid lead goes to one client for 30 days. The lead does not include a contract end date, so your first call needs to establish the contract position.
See our guide to selling business energy for how to run that first call.
A realistic first year
Expect a slow first few months while contracts go live and commission starts to arrive. Budget for that gap before you leave a salaried role.
Commission is usually paid when a contract goes live or over the life of the contract, so a deal signed today may not pay for weeks or months. Track every enquiry through to a live contract, work out your cost per signed contract for each lead source, and put more money into the sources that close for you.
Illustrative example: a broker who signs a handful of contracts a month in the first quarter may see little income until those contracts start supplying. Plan cash flow on when money will actually arrive, not on the date the business signs.