The British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) has welcomed the news that the government is intervening in the energy crisis for businesses, and will be getting a support package for the next six months.

In a statement on 8 September by Prime Minister Liz Truss, it was announced there would be a support package for six months, which will provide ‘equivalent support’ to gas and electricity bills that were due to rise in October.

In an open statement to the UK’s new leader, Bira’s CEO Andrew Goodacre said the announcement was welcomed by business. “We welcome the government intervention announced today,” says Goodacre. “Retailers on every high street will welcome any support, but we still have concerns. Making the energy rate for businesses the same as consumers still imposes a 300% increase on energy bills for many businesses. That will still cause hardship for those business owners.

“We also believe that any review over the next six months should have a broader remit of looking at all business costs. There is limited prospect of prices reducing in six months’ time, and so we cannot afford to see business rates increase in line with inflation just as this business support comes to an end.”

In a survey conducted at the end of August to Bira members, 65% of business owners had said a price rise would force them to reduce the number of staff they had or reduce wages. Furthermore, 40% were considering limiting opening hours, and 23% were looking to permanently or temporarily close their business once the proposed price hike came in October.