UK small businesses and charities say nuclear levy could add thousands to bills

Spike Island, a Bristol-based organisation that supports artists, is expecting the levy to increase its bills by £1,000 a year. Photograph: Rebecca Goldman

British charities and small businesses have warned that a new levy on energy bills, intended to support the government’s nuclear power ambitions, could raise their costs by thousands of pounds a year.

The extra charge could mean a significant cost hike for charities and small businesses with high energy use, meaning community services may be cut and economic growth curtailed, according to trade groups.