British Chambers of Commerce research found that 80% of surveyed firms are already affected by, or expect to be affected by, the Iran conflict, mainly through higher energy prices, shipping disruption, and increases in raw material costs. More than 800 firms, mostly SMEs, took part. Manufacturing is most exposed, with 68% of firms already affected and 23% expecting an impact. Across all sectors, 75% expect energy bills to rise over the next year due to the conflict, with 43% expecting increases of more than 20%. The BCC also found 36% of firms expect difficulty paying energy bills, up from 27% at the start of the year. To read the BCC’s news release, go to https://www.britishchambers.org.uk/news/2026/05/firms-warn-of-rising-costs-from-iran-crisis/.