8 October 2026
Nine in 10 hospitality businesses are worried about energy prices
90.4% of pubs, restaurants, cafes and hotels told the ONS they were concerned about energy prices between 7 and 20 September 2026, against 64.1% of all businesses
The figures
- 90.4% of accommodation and food service businesses were concerned about energy prices between 7 and 20 September 2026; 45.4% were very concerned.
- Across all businesses the figure was 64.1%.
- Energy prices were the main concern for 20.1% of hospitality businesses looking ahead to October 2026, against 9.5% of all businesses.
- 2,142 accommodation and food businesses entered insolvency in England and Wales from January to August 2026, about 62 a week. That is 7% fewer than in the same months of 2025 (2,302).
- In 2025 hospitality accounted for 3,361 of 23,941 company insolvencies, 14.0%. Restaurants made up 1,390 of this year's cases and pubs and bars 443.
Hospitality runs on energy: kitchens, cellar cooling, heating and lighting for long opening hours. That is why it stands out in the Office for National Statistics' fortnightly survey of business conditions, where concern about energy prices is far higher than in the economy as a whole.
Insolvencies in the sector are running below last year's level, but the numbers remain large. For a small hospitality business, energy is one of the few big costs that can be cut without cutting service, by renewing contracts on time and comparing the unit rate and standing charge together.
Contract ending soon? An independent business energy consultant can check the market for you, free and with no obligation. Get your business energy quote.
Sources
- Office for National Statistics, Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS), wave covering 7 September 2026 to 20 September 2026, weighted UK estimates. Official statistics in development.
- Insolvency Service, Company Insolvency Statistics, table 1c (England and Wales, by industry), latest month provisional.