Concern about energy and fuel prices has reached the highest level recorded in the current Office for National Statistics survey series. In late September 2026, 72% of businesses reported some concern about energy prices and 73% reported concern about fuel-price increases. The figures do not measure actual cost increases or prove that businesses need additional finance, but they identify operating-cost risks that can affect working-capital planning.
The findings were published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on 8 October 2026 in its latest Business Insights and Conditions Survey bulletin. The survey was open from 21 September to 4 October and received 9,933 responses from private-sector businesses.
What do the latest ONS figures show?
The ONS reported three cost and supply-chain findings with a direct bearing on business planning:
- Energy prices: 72% of businesses expressed some degree of concern, the highest proportion since the question was introduced in March 2026.
- Fuel prices: 73% expressed some concern about increases, the highest proportion since that question was introduced in May 2026.
- Supply chains: 48% of businesses with 10 or more employees were concerned about at least one factor affecting supply chains over the next year. That was 17 percentage points higher than in September 2025.
International conflict was the most frequently reported supply-chain concern, cited by 32% of businesses with 10 or more employees. Shipping disruption was cited by 21%.
These results measure concern rather than the size of any financial loss. They do not show that 72% or 73% of businesses experienced a particular increase in bills, nor do they establish how long current pressures will last.
Which business sectors reported the greatest concern?
Accommodation and food service businesses recorded the highest level of concern about energy prices, at 91%. That is commercially understandable because kitchens, refrigeration, heating, lighting and laundry can make energy a material operating cost.
Transportation and storage had the highest proportion of businesses reporting that they were very concerned about fuel-price increases, at 60%. Fuel can be a direct input for road transport, delivery and logistics companies, while price changes can also feed through into supplier and distribution charges for businesses in other sectors.
The figures describe broad industry groups, not every company within them. An individual business’s exposure will depend on matters including its contracts, consumption, fleet, premises, ability to change prices and the timing of payments from customers.
Why can energy and fuel costs affect working capital?
Working capital is affected by the timing of cash entering and leaving a business. Energy and fuel bills may be payable before the business receives payment from customers, particularly where it sells to other businesses on 30-, 60- or longer payment terms.
A rise in operating expenditure can therefore reduce the cash buffer available for wages, stock, tax and other commitments. The effect may be greater where several pressures arrive together—for example, higher transport charges, delayed deliveries and customers taking longer to pay.
Concern about a cost does not automatically create a finance requirement. Some businesses may absorb the movement through existing cash reserves, reduce consumption, renegotiate supplier arrangements, adjust prices or defer non-essential expenditure. Others may identify a temporary or recurring cash-flow gap. The underlying cause and expected duration matter when comparing possible responses.
How do different funding structures relate to a cash-flow gap?
Different forms of business finance address different commercial requirements. They are not interchangeable, and none is automatically appropriate simply because operating costs are uncertain.
Invoice finance
Invoice finance can release a proportion of the value of eligible unpaid business-to-business invoices. Availability generally moves with the eligible sales ledger, so it may be relevant where the timing gap arises between delivering work and receiving customer payment.
The amount available, advance percentage, service fees, funding charge and treatment of disputed or overdue invoices vary by provider and facility. It does not remove the underlying energy or fuel expense, and it is not designed for businesses that do not raise eligible credit invoices.
Business loans
A business loan provides a defined amount with an agreed repayment structure. It may be considered for a specific, time-limited requirement where the business can support the repayments from expected cash flow.
Using fixed-term borrowing to cover an open-ended increase in routine costs can create a mismatch if the pressure lasts longer than expected. The total repayable, term, security, guarantees, fees and early-repayment conditions all form part of a meaningful comparison.
Asset finance
Asset finance links funding to equipment, machinery or vehicles. It can spread the cost of a defined investment—for example, replacing an inefficient machine or commercial vehicle—rather than requiring the full purchase cost upfront.
Whether an investment reduces operating costs depends on the asset, its utilisation and the complete finance and ownership terms. Expected savings should not be treated as certain before they have been tested against realistic usage and maintenance assumptions.
What should a cash-flow review distinguish?
Before comparing facilities, a business can separate several questions that are often combined:
- Is the pressure caused by a permanent change in costs, a temporary price movement or the timing of customer receipts?
- Which payments fall due before expected cash receipts, and on what dates?
- How much unused headroom remains under existing facilities?
- Would additional borrowing fund a productive asset, bridge confirmed income or simply postpone a recurring shortfall?
- How would repayments be met if sales, customer payment times or operating costs were less favourable than expected?
- What is the full cost of each option, including fees, security and operational conditions?
The site’s business funding options overview explains the structural differences among invoice finance, asset finance and business loans.
What does the ONS evidence not tell us?
The survey does not forecast energy or fuel prices, quantify the average increase in business costs or measure demand for finance. It also does not show that a particular funding product is suitable for the businesses that expressed concern.
The ONS describes the results as official statistics in development and advises caution when using them. The survey is voluntary, its questions can change, and its coverage excludes some industries. The latest wave had a response rate of 25.7%.
The evidence is most useful as an indication of the risks businesses were monitoring in late September and early October 2026. It supports closer attention to cash-flow timing, but not a prediction about the circumstances of an individual company.
Frequently asked questions
How many UK businesses are concerned about energy prices?
The ONS reported that 72% of businesses expressed some degree of concern about energy prices in late September 2026. This was the highest proportion since the question was introduced in March 2026.
How many businesses are concerned about fuel-price increases?
The ONS reported that 73% expressed some degree of concern. Transportation and storage had the highest proportion reporting that they were very concerned, at 60%.
Does concern about operating costs mean a business should borrow?
No. The ONS figures measure concern and do not assess whether any business needs finance. A funding decision depends on the cause, amount and duration of the requirement and the business’s ability to meet the facility’s costs and conditions.
Can invoice finance help with energy or fuel bills?
Invoice finance can improve the timing of cash received against eligible business-to-business invoices. The released working capital may support general business expenditure, but the facility does not reduce the underlying cost and eligibility and terms vary.
Source
This article is for general information only. It does not constitute financial, legal, tax or other professional advice. Finance availability, pricing and terms depend on the provider and the applicant’s circumstances.
