Inspired PLC review

Inspired PLC review summary

Inspired PLC is one of the UK’s largest commercial energy and sustainability consultancies. It is best suited to medium-sized, large, complex, multi-site and energy-intensive organisations that need more than a simple business energy switch. Its services cover energy procurement, risk management, green energy, public sector frameworks, utility optimisation, net zero, carbon reduction, ESG reporting and compliance.

Inspired describes itself as the UK’s leading commercial energy and sustainability advisor and says it has more than 700 experts across the UK and Ireland. Its procurement page says it has 30TWh of energy under management, while its procurement content also refers to more than £3bn of utilities cost under management and a 13% UK and Irish market share.

This makes Inspired very different from an SME-focused comparison broker such as Bionic, Love Energy Savings or Utility Bidder. It is more suitable for organisations that need strategic procurement, risk management, flexible contracts, carbon reporting or compliance support. Smaller businesses may still find Inspired useful, but many low-usage SMEs may prefer a quicker online comparison route.

Quick verdict

Category	Rating	Notes
Energy procurement	4.7/5	Strong fixed, flexible and collective procurement options
Suitability for large users	4.8/5	Very strong fit for complex, high-spend and multi-site organisations
Suitability for small businesses	3.4/5	Smaller firms may find online brokers simpler
Sustainability and ESG support	4.8/5	Strong carbon, net zero, ESG and compliance services
Public sector procurement	4.5/5	Offers compliant procurement frameworks for electricity, gas and water
Fee transparency	3.9/5	Broker fees should be checked in principal terms, but public fee detail is limited
Customer review signal	2.8/5	Trustpilot profile has only 3 reviews, so it is not a useful sample
Overall rating	4.4/5	A strong consultancy-led option for large and complex energy users

What is Inspired PLC?

Inspired is a commercial energy and sustainability consultancy. It helps organisations procure utilities, manage energy market risk, reduce consumption, report carbon emissions and meet sustainability and compliance requirements. Its own website describes it as working with commercial, industrial and public sector energy users.

The legal picture is worth noting. Inspired’s legal page says Inspired Limited is registered in England and Wales under company number 07639760, and that Inspired Energy Solutions Limited is a subsidiary registered under company number 04005541. The registered office is Calder House, St Georges Park, Kirkham, Preston, Lancashire, PR4 2DZ.

Companies House currently lists company number 07639760 as Inspired Limited, with the same Calder House registered office. However, the business is still widely referred to as Inspired PLC across its website, market materials and historical references.

For customers, the important point is that Inspired is not a gas or electricity supplier. It is a consultancy and third-party intermediary that helps organisations arrange and manage energy contracts with suppliers.

What does Inspired offer?

Inspired offers a broad range of energy, utilities, sustainability and compliance services. Its website says its approach is built around the “4Cs”: cost, consumption, carbon and compliance.

Service area	What it means	Best suited to
Energy procurement	Buying electricity, gas and water through fixed, flexible or collective routes	Medium and large businesses
Fixed procurement	Locking in energy prices for a set contract period	Businesses wanting budget certainty
Flexible procurement	Making multiple purchasing decisions during a contract term	Larger users with market-risk strategies
Collective procurement	Grouped or aggregated buying arrangements	Organisations seeking purchasing leverage
Public sector frameworks	Compliant procurement routes for electricity, gas and water	Schools, councils, NHS bodies and public sector organisations
Green energy	Renewable power, green gas and certificates	Businesses with ESG or net zero targets
Carbon reduction	Carbon footprinting, science-based targets and decarbonisation planning	Businesses with sustainability commitments
ESG reporting	Environmental, social and governance disclosure support	Larger companies and investor-facing businesses
Compliance	Support with energy and building compliance requirements	Complex estates and regulated organisations
Optimisation	Energy efficiency and consumption reduction	High-usage businesses
Software and data	Energy management, reporting and analytics	Multi-site and data-heavy organisations

Energy procurement services

Inspired’s energy procurement service is one of its strongest areas. Its procurement page says business energy procurement is divided into fixed, flexible and collective categories, and that the right contract depends on the organisation’s priorities. It also says customers should look at renewal no less than 18 months before contract expiry to make better use of the market.

Procurement option	What it means	Best suited to
Fixed energy procurement	The business agrees rates for a defined contract period	Organisations wanting predictable budgets
Flexible risk-managed procurement	Energy is purchased in stages during the contract term	Larger users willing to manage market exposure
Collective procurement	Demand is aggregated with other customers or buying groups	Organisations wanting purchasing scale
Green procurement	Renewable or lower-carbon energy options are considered	Businesses with carbon or ESG targets
Public sector frameworks	Procurement is carried out through compliant frameworks	Public sector and regulated buyers

Inspired’s flexible procurement page explains that flexible contracts involve making multiple purchasing decisions during the contract term, with prices varying depending on the market at each buying point. This can be useful for large users, but it is also more complex than a simple fixed contract.

Fixed, flexible or collective procurement

The main decision for an Inspired customer is likely to be the type of procurement strategy.

Contract type	Advantages	Disadvantages
Fixed contract	Budget certainty, simple to understand, easier forecasting	May miss savings if wholesale prices fall
Flexible contract	More market control, potential to benefit from price drops, risk can be spread	More complex and requires active management
Collective contract	Buying power, supplier leverage and shared procurement benefits	Less individual control than bespoke procurement
Green contract	Supports ESG, carbon and stakeholder objectives	May cost more depending on structure and certificate quality

Inspired is likely to add the most value where this choice is genuinely strategic. For a small business with one meter and modest usage, the benefit may be less obvious. For a large business with several sites, high consumption and board-level budgeting pressure, the procurement strategy can have a major financial impact.

Public sector and compliant procurement

Inspired offers compliant procurement frameworks for gas, electricity and water. Its public sector procurement page says the government recommends aggregated, flexible and risk-managed energy procurement, and that Inspired offers compliant frameworks designed to save time, demonstrate value for money and support best practice.

This is relevant for:

Organisation type	Why Inspired may help
Schools and academies	Utility procurement often needs compliance, auditability and cost control
Colleges and universities	Large estates may need flexible procurement, data and carbon reporting
NHS bodies	Energy cost, resilience and compliance can be high priorities
Local authorities	Procurement must often follow formal frameworks
Housing associations	Multi-site utility management and decarbonisation can be complex
Charities and public bodies	Budget certainty and procurement evidence may be important

Sustainability and carbon services

Inspired is not only an energy broker. It also provides sustainability, ESG and carbon reduction support. Its website says its consultants help organisations measure and reduce carbon emissions and create a practical path to net zero.

Inspired’s net-zero and carbon reduction page lists services including carbon footprint preparation, net zero strategy, Science Based Targets, carbon trading risks, green gas and renewable certificates, funding for decarbonisation projects, renewable and self-generation solutions, estate decarbonisation and low or zero-emission projects.

Sustainability service	What it can involve
Carbon footprinting	Measuring emissions from energy use, operations and supply chains
Net zero strategy	Setting a practical pathway to reduce emissions
Science Based Targets	Aligning carbon targets with recognised frameworks
Green energy	Renewable electricity, green gas and certificate procurement
Estate decarbonisation	Reducing emissions across buildings and sites
Carbon trading and offsetting	Understanding schemes such as UK ETS, offsetting and carbon markets
ESG reporting	Supporting stakeholder, investor and regulatory reporting
SECR support	Helping with Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting requirements

Inspired’s SECR page says its ESG consultants support businesses through operational carbon reporting, from data collection to improvements in data quality, with quarterly progress reviews available if required.

Building compliance and optimisation

Inspired also supports building compliance and energy improvement work. Its “our approach” page says its experts can prepare organisations for compliance and help act on recommendations to improve building efficiency, reduce carbon footprint and cut costs. It lists Display Energy Certificates, Energy Performance Certificates and TM44 air conditioning inspections.

Compliance or optimisation area	Why it matters
EPCs	Important for building performance and property compliance
DECs	Relevant to certain public buildings
TM44 inspections	Required for many air-conditioning systems
ESOS-style audits	Can identify energy-saving opportunities
Estate decarbonisation	Helps reduce emissions across buildings
Energy monitoring	Supports better data and cost control
Efficiency projects	Can reduce usage rather than only changing supplier

This makes Inspired particularly relevant for organisations that want to reduce energy consumption, not just buy a cheaper contract.

Inspired fees and commission

Inspired does not publish a simple fixed broker fee for all customers. That is normal for a consultancy-led energy broker because pricing can depend on energy spend, service scope, contract structure, procurement strategy, market conditions and whether the customer uses procurement, optimisation, compliance, software or sustainability services.

For any energy contract arranged through Inspired, the key questions are:

Fee question	Why it matters
Is Inspired paid by commission, a direct fee or both?	Shows how the service is funded
Is commission included in the unit rate?	Helps identify the true p/kWh cost
What is the commission in p/kWh?	Allows comparison with other brokers
What is the total commission over the contract?	Converts a small uplift into a cash figure
Are consultancy fees separate?	Important for ESG, compliance or optimisation projects
Are fees payable after switching consultant?	Some broker commissions can continue for the full supply contract
Is the fee shown in the principal terms?	Helps satisfy fee-transparency expectations

Ofgem confirmed that, for non-domestic contracts signed on or from 1 October 2024, suppliers must ensure principal terms clearly display broker fees, and suppliers must make the information available on request.

Example broker-fee calculation

A p/kWh commission can become significant for higher-usage businesses.

Annual energy usage	0.5p/kWh fee	1p/kWh fee	2p/kWh fee	3p/kWh fee
50,000 kWh	£250 per year	£500 per year	£1,000 per year	£1,500 per year
100,000 kWh	£500 per year	£1,000 per year	£2,000 per year	£3,000 per year
250,000 kWh	£1,250 per year	£2,500 per year	£5,000 per year	£7,500 per year
500,000 kWh	£2,500 per year	£5,000 per year	£10,000 per year	£15,000 per year
1,000,000 kWh	£5,000 per year	£10,000 per year	£20,000 per year	£30,000 per year
5,000,000 kWh	£25,000 per year	£50,000 per year	£100,000 per year	£150,000 per year

For a business using 1,000,000 kWh per year, a 1p/kWh commission would cost £10,000 per year. Over a three-year contract, that becomes £30,000. This may still be good value if the procurement strategy, market timing, bill validation, carbon work or efficiency savings justify the cost, but the fee should be made clear before signing.

Broker regulation and fee disclosure

The UK broker market is moving towards stronger oversight. In October 2025, the government published its response on regulating third-party intermediaries in the retail energy market. The response set out plans for Ofgem to regulate TPIs, including energy brokers, when parliamentary time allows.

For businesses, the practical position is that broker fees should be disclosed clearly, and eligible small businesses may have access to dispute resolution where a broker is a member of an appropriate scheme. The Energy Ombudsman says small businesses can use its free dispute resolution support for energy broker disputes from 19 December 2024, subject to eligibility and process requirements.

Customer reviews

Inspired does not have the same public review footprint as SME brokers such as Bionic, Love Energy Savings or Utility Bidder. Trustpilot lists Inspired Energy with a TrustScore of 2.8 out of 5, but this is based on only 3 reviews.

That low review count makes Trustpilot a weak evidence base for assessing Inspired’s overall service quality. For a consultancy of this type, businesses should place more weight on proposal quality, sector references, procurement methodology, account team experience, fee disclosure, service-level commitments and contract terms.

Review signal	What it suggests
Trustpilot review volume	Too low to draw a reliable conclusion
Public review usefulness	Limited compared with SME brokers
Better evidence	Case studies, references, proposal quality and contract terms
Procurement confidence	Should come from transparency, governance and measurable service scope
Risk check	Ask for named account contacts and escalation routes before signing

Pros and cons

Pros	Cons
One of the UK’s largest energy and sustainability consultancies	Likely to be more complex than many small businesses need
Strong fit for high-usage, multi-site and corporate energy users	Public customer review data is limited
Covers fixed, flexible and collective procurement	Broker commission or consultancy fees must be checked carefully
Strong sustainability, net zero and ESG support	Not a simple instant online switching service
Useful public sector and compliant procurement options	Customers need to clarify the legal entity and service contract
Over 30TWh of energy under management stated by Inspired	Larger service scope may make comparisons harder
Can support procurement, carbon, compliance and optimisation together	Businesses must distinguish supplier contract terms from consultancy terms

Who is Inspired best for?

Inspired is best suited to organisations where energy is a strategic cost, operational risk or sustainability issue.

Business type	Suitability	Why
Large manufacturers	High	Energy procurement, carbon reduction and compliance are often material
Food and drink businesses	High	High gas, electricity and water usage can justify specialist support
Multi-site retailers	High	Portfolio management, data and procurement strategy can add value
Hotels and leisure groups	High	Energy usage is high and often spread across multiple sites
NHS and healthcare organisations	High	Energy resilience, compliance and cost control are important
Schools and universities	High	Public-sector-style frameworks and carbon reporting may be relevant
Housing associations	High	Multi-site energy and estate decarbonisation can be complex
Large offices and property estates	High	Procurement, building compliance and decarbonisation may align
Medium-sized SMEs	Medium to high	Useful if energy spend or ESG requirements justify consultancy support
Very small businesses	Low to medium	A simpler comparison broker may be quicker and cheaper

Who might need an alternative?

Inspired may not be the best fit for every business.

Situation	Why another option may help
One small meter and low usage	A simple online energy comparison may be enough
Need for instant quotes	Bionic, Love Energy Savings or Utility Bidder may be faster
Very limited procurement complexity	Consultancy depth may not justify the process
Preference for direct supplier pricing	Some businesses may want to avoid broker involvement
No sustainability or compliance requirement	Some of Inspired’s strongest services may be underused
Very price-sensitive SME	Broker fees and consultancy costs should be compared carefully
Need for public customer reviews	Inspired has limited Trustpilot review evidence

Inspired compared with other brokers

Broker	Best for	How Inspired compares
Bionic	SME business energy comparison	Inspired is more suitable for larger and more complex users
Love Energy Savings	Fast online business energy switching	Inspired is more strategic and consultancy-led
Utility Bidder	SME multi-utility comparison	Inspired is stronger for corporate energy, ESG and risk management
Northern Gas and Power	Managed procurement and energy management	Both suit larger users; Inspired has strong sustainability and corporate positioning
Inenco	Large energy users, bureau and compliance	Both are consultancy-led options for complex utility portfolios
Auditel	Cost, procurement and carbon reduction	Auditel is broader procurement-led; Inspired is more energy and sustainability specialist
Advantage Utilities	Bespoke energy consultancy	Both suit organisations wanting ongoing consultancy rather than a simple switch

For larger organisations, Inspired should be compared with Inenco, Northern Gas and Power, Advantage Utilities and Auditel. For small businesses, it is sensible to compare Inspired with simpler SME brokers as well as direct supplier quotes.

What to check before signing with Inspired

Before agreeing to a contract or consultancy service through Inspired, ask for these details in writing:

Check	Why it matters
Legal contracting entity	Confirms whether the contract is with Inspired Limited, Inspired Energy Solutions or another group company
Supplier name	Confirms who will actually supply the energy
Unit rate	Shows the p/kWh cost
Standing charge	Important for total annual cost
Contract length	Determines how long the business is committed
Contract type	Confirms fixed, flexible, collective or pass-through structure
Broker commission	Shows how Inspired is paid for procurement
Total broker fee	Converts commission into pounds over the contract term
Direct consultancy fees	Important for sustainability, ESG, compliance or optimisation work
Service levels	Clarifies what support is included
Account team	Identifies who will manage the relationship
Renewal authority	Prevents unwanted renewals or unclear approval processes
Complaint process	Shows how disputes will be escalated
Ombudsman or ADR route	Confirms whether independent dispute resolution applies

Complaint process and dispute resolution

Inspired publishes a complaint process policy. It says that, if senior management cannot resolve a complaint after six weeks, the complaint may be escalated to an executive director, a legal adviser, or, for a microbusiness, the Ombudsman Service. It also says that if an executive director cannot resolve the query after eight weeks, the customer will be referred to a legal adviser or Ombudsman Services as appropriate.

The Energy Ombudsman also lists Inspired Energy Solutions Ltd as a broker it can review disputes about, subject to the usual complaint-stage requirements.

For any large or complex energy contract, customers should confirm the applicable complaint and dispute-resolution route before signing, especially where the service includes both energy procurement and separate consultancy work.

Final verdict: Inspired PLC review

Inspired PLC is a strong choice for organisations that need serious energy procurement and sustainability support. Its main strengths are scale, market access, fixed and flexible procurement, green energy, ESG reporting, carbon reduction, public sector frameworks, building compliance and energy optimisation.

It is less likely to be the simplest option for very small businesses that just want a fast electricity or gas quote. For those companies, Bionic, Love Energy Savings or Utility Bidder may be easier starting points. However, for large, multi-site, energy-intensive or ESG-focused organisations, Inspired is one of the leading names to consider.

The main caution is fee clarity. Inspired may be able to deliver significant value through procurement strategy, market insight and sustainability work, but businesses should still ask for full disclosure of broker commission, consultancy charges, contract terms and complaint routes before agreeing.

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