Concern among UK businesses about energy and fuel costs has reached its highest level since records began, according to the latest Office for National Statistics Business Insights and Conditions Survey, published on 8 October 2026.
The fortnightly survey found that 72% of businesses reported some concern about energy prices in the two weeks to 4 October, the highest proportion since the question was first asked in March 2026. Concern was most acute in accommodation and food services, where 91% of firms expressed worry.
A similar pattern emerged for fuel costs, with 73% of businesses reporting concern, also a survey high, and transportation and storage firms the most anxious group.
The same survey found 95% of businesses were trading fully or partially, while almost half of larger firms, 48%, flagged at least one supply chain worry, chiefly international conflict and shipping disruption. Separately, 30% of businesses reported using artificial intelligence in September, up from just 9% three years earlier.
Rising input costs on energy and fuel are a reminder to review pricing, budgets and cashflow forecasts regularly, rather than treating volatility as a temporary blip.
The ONS describes the figures as “official statistics in development,” noting the survey’s response rate was under 26%.