The Benchmarks.
Our Methodology.
Cost Structure.
OUR BENCHMARKS & METHODOLOGY
SUR currently publishes three proprietary consumer indices:
SCEi — Sceats Consumer Electricity Index (£/kWh)
SCGi — Sceats Consumer Gas Index (£/kWh)
SCWi — Sceats Consumer Water Index (£/m³)
Each index consolidates wholesale market inputs and all Pass-Throughs, Add-Ons, and Levies (PTAO&L) into a single, transparent reference price.
Individual site rates may vary due to location and site specific capacity charges, and any embedded broker commission.
Electricity and gas benchmarks are updated monthly using rolling forward pricing. The water benchmark reflects prevailing regulatory charging periods.
Methodology
How the Sceats Utility Report benchmarks are constructed
The Sceats-Utility.Report (SUR) publishes independent consumer utility benchmarks designed to reflect what commercial and industrial users in Great Britain actually pay for electricity, gas, and water.
The methodology is deliberately conservative, transparent in principle, and restrained in disclosure.
Purpose and Scope
SUR benchmarks are consumer reference prices, not wholesale prices and not supplier tariffs.
They are designed to answer a simple question:
What does a representative commercial customer actually pay?
Each index consolidates all material cost components into a single reference value suitable for comparison, budgeting, and evaluation.
Data Sources and Inputs
SUR benchmarks are derived from a combination of:
Observable Wholesale Market Prices
Regulated Network And Capacity Charges
Published Levies, Pass-Throughs, And Statutory Add-Ons
Market-Observed Supplier Margin Ranges
Real-World Commercial Contracting Structures
No single input determines an index value. Prices are derived through structured synthesis, not mechanical averaging.
Consolidated Cost Framework (PTAO&L)
All benchmarks incorporate Pass-Throughs, Add-Ons, and Levies (PTAO&L), including but not limited to:
Network And System Charges
Policy And Regulatory Levies
Supplier Cost Recovery Components
This ensures benchmarks reflect delivered consumer cost, not partial or headline pricing.
Electricity and Gas Indices
Electricity and gas benchmarks are updated monthly using rolling forward market references rather than spot prices.
This approach reflects how commercial utility contracts are typically priced and avoids distortions caused by short-term volatility.
Water Index
The water benchmark reflects prevailing regulated charging periods, regional pricing structures, and observable retail cost components applicable to non-household consumers.
Treatment of Commercial Variables
Where relevant, SUR recognises that contractual features materially affect price, including:
Payment Terms And Credit Periods
Consumption Tolerance And Volume Flexibility
Contract Structure And Duration
These variables are incorporated through observed market behaviour, not hypothetical assumptions.
Use of Ranges
SUR does not seek false precision.
Where appropriate, benchmarks may be expressed as ranges rather than single point values, reflecting real market dispersion and avoiding over-interpretation of marginal differences.
Governance and Independence
SUR is published by Sceats Family Office and operates independently of utility suppliers.
The benchmarks are funded through data publication and advertising, not by subscription or supplier sponsorship.
Editorial judgement is exercised to ensure benchmarks remain fair, consistent, and representative, while resisting manipulation, thin data artefacts, or advocacy-driven pricing.
Ongoing Review
Methodology is reviewed periodically to reflect changes in market structure, regulation, and commercial practice. Any material evolution is undertaken cautiously and communicated clearly.