Care England Energy Tender Feedback – 2023

After the fantastic success of the 2022-23 Care England Energy Tender – Care England is launching a further round to offer care providers the opportunity to secure the lowest possible energy prices for Gas and Electricity renewals between 2023 and 2026 which now includes LPG.  Feedback is incredibly important and we wanted to post just a few comments received from those who took part in the previous process and were supported by our energy partners Focus Energy Services and BoxPower.  If you would link to participate in the next tender for energy, please express your interest here:

 “David at Focus Energy was put in touch through Care England to negotiate a fair rate to supply energy to the care sector. We have had a really bad experience with energy brokers but I decided to send David an email as we had one contract which was expiring, David replied instantly and there was no hard sell tone on his email or when I spoke to him. David was very supportive in negotiating a very competitive rate for us. We have since acquired another business in the care sector with energy contracts due to expire shortly and have no hesitation in contacting David to provide quotes. We are very grateful for the support and look forward to working with David and his team in the future.”

Pritesh Ruparelia – Ellen Borough Care Home

“I’d certainly like to provide very positive feedback on the service received, both from yourselves who facilitated our conversations with David from Focus Energy and from David himself.  We had been quoted a cost increase of four times our current rate on one contract from our electricity provider which reduced to a slightly more palatable doubling in cost (from the same provider) following the tender process.  Hopefully as wholesale energy prices fall our remaining four contracts will see even better results.

Throughout the process we were assisted ably and clearly, and extra paperwork was understandable and kept to a minimum.  We really couldn’t have secured this deal without the help of Focus and yourselves.  A huge thank you all round!”

Paul Ratcliffe  MEd (Autism) – Beech Cliffe Ltd

“We worked with David at Focus Energy as we had been put in touch through the social care initiative via Care England and Care Forum Wales to negotiate fair and attractive rates for the sector. We had one contract which was expiring early and David was very supportive in negotiating a very competitive rate for us. We are very grateful for the support and look forward to working with Focus Energy as part of the Care Sector initiative on our other energy contracts as they come up for renewal.”

Steve Lyons – Director – Brooks Healthcare Limited

“David has helped our business get an almost 50% reduction in prices. Our contract had reached the end of a fixed deal and the costs were astronomical. Using him saved me hours of work which I did not have time to do.   The quote arrived in hours; the contract was returned – all completed in a morning. Many thanks”

Anon. – Care Provider

“Indeed, we are comforted with the lock in and the risk mitigation this provides Athena for the foreseeable future.  The tender process from end to end was informative, painless and definitely deemed a success by us.  We look forward to working in partnership with you, benefitting from your experience as you help us understand our position with energy prices and adjusting our flexed elements for any adjustments as they become appropriate.  I am impressed by the BoxPower company culture, attitude to the sector and your ethos in investing surpluses back into care.  Thank you.”

Ben Wright – Finance Director, Athena

“Obviously, the whole situation is a nightmare to navigate, not just because energy firms talk in riddles and because “kwh’s” (day rate, night rate, discounts etc. are completely unfathomable for most people outside of the industry.  On top of which, I simply do not have the time to approach energy companies for quotes and then compare rates, so I trusted David (via the tender) to look for the best rate that he could get for us, and I believe that this is what he did.  The rate we did get was ridiculously expensive of course, I knew it would be, but I confess that I did have quotes from another broker and their rates were definitely more expensive, so on balance, I felt that we got the best deal that we could, at the time that we were looking.  We had the benefit of David’s experience and advice and so have signed up for a 12-month deal which gives us the opportunity to renegotiate when the rates should be cheaper and so we aren’t tied in to an extortionate 3 or 5 year deal which no doubt I would have done if pursuing this on my own because that’s what we’ve always done.  With regards to David himself, he was approachable, friendly, patient and most importantly contactable!”

Melanie Rayner – Bramble House

If you have any questions relating to the Care England Energy Tender, please email rayres@careengland.org.uk