Like the name implies, British Gas has a name that suggests it is British owned and operated. It’s the largest energy provider within the UK and is believed to supply approximately nine million households.
The company is an affiliate of Centrica which is a global energy and services firm, that also has utility providers within Ireland. Republic of Ireland. It has acquired customers from Robin Hood Energy, People’s Energy and other smaller companies after they have stopped trading.
It’s referred to by the name of Scottish Gas in Scotland and promises to bring Britain the efficient homes of tomorrow and today’. In addition to electricity and gas it also offers boilers, smart home appliances under the Hive brand, as well as HomeCare insurance.
The British Gas Rewards scheme provides customers with personalised offers, that could include movies on Sky and days out at UK attractions Tickets to live shows in The O2, Wilbur the Penguin toys, and restaurant vouchers.
Click here for British Gas Live Chat.
Users can install British Gas’ British Gas app on iOS and Android devices. Through the app, you can transmit meters readings and pay bills with just a few taps. Smart meters can create budgets and track their energy consumption.
British Gas customer review
British Gas is ranked joint 10th along with Boost Energy among the 16 energy companies assessed by 10197 people during the annual Which? customer survey.
A customer rating of just 52% indicates the British Gas sits in the lower tier on our list. Many other companies finished better in terms of customer satisfaction such as Octopus Energy (73%) and Utility Warehouse (67%).
British Gas was rated an average of three stars for the majority of the metrics in our study, and only 2 stars in the remaining portion, which includes the accuracy of its payment system and communications to customers regarding the market for energy.
The feedback from customers is mixed. One customer complained of’very poor customer service and hard to reach one long-standing customer was more pleased, saying “I’ve been with them for several years and am extremely satisfied with the services that they provide’.
Which? conclusion on British Gas
The results of the survey suggest that payments are fairly accurate
Cons Customer service ratings: Average from our survey of customers; not the top in helping the most vulnerable customers.
Our British Gas supplier assessment
In November 2022, we examined the three aspects that affect suppliers their business practices and procedures in dealing with complaints, how well they provide their customers with service, and how they assist the most vulnerable customers, such as customers who have prepayments and those in financial difficulties.
We made this decision by combining our own observations and responses to a questionnaire we sent out to suppliers.
British Gas received a mediocre score of 5 out of 10 on its response to complaints and a higher score of 17-out of 23 in our evaluation of the support it provides for customers who are vulnerable.
British Gas customer service
British Gas was rated an average of three stars for customer service by its customers. It wasn’t the only one Six other companies, including EDF Energy and Eon Next also received three stars.
In our study we found that 47% from British Gas customers said its service was satisfactory – higher than the other major suppliers, but lower than 63% of customers who surveyed Utility Warehouse.
It scored higher in our assessment of its customer service, which involved the evaluation of capacities, contact options, hours of operation and self-service assistance with a score of 13 points out of 17.
British Gas in the energy crisis
British Gas customers were fairly not impressed with the information provided by it about the changing costs of energy in our survey. We gave it with three stars but not so in its clarity of information about the market for energy which was rated two stars.
British Gas announced that it will stop fitting prepayment meters by force until at least the end of winter’ following a report that claimed it was imposing the meters on vulnerable customers.
British Gas Energy Trust
The British Gas Energy Trust is an independent charitable organization that was established in 2004 to assist customers who are having difficulty paying their bill, regardless of whether the customer is British Gas or another supplier. It provides advice and grants eligible applicants who want to pay off their debts on energy.
British Gas common complaints
We were able to survey British Gas customers, 5 percent said that they had last contacted the company to file an inquiry.
The most frequent complaint customers had to British Gas was about a issue with their bill – 55 percent of those who complained complained about this, followed by cost of energy (33 percent) as well as the precision of their meters (22 percent).
Are you able to join British Gas with a prepayment meter?
Yes. British Gas pay-as-you-go customers can top up at an Post Office or Payzone outlet. The company’s website states that you’ll need to top up with minimum PS5, and you’ll need to top it up to the closest pounds.’
The company is installing smart prepayment meters. Customers with them can top up their account using British Gas’s website, its app or British Gas website, its application or an automated payment phone line.
British Gas offers PS10 emergency credit when you’re out of fuel but are unable to replenish. Friendly Credit will be activated automatically when you own an electronic meter, or a non-smart electric meters and are empty of credits between the hours of 6pm between 9am and 6pm, or on a bank holiday. You are also able to make emergency credit available at other time slots using your smart meter display, at-home display, or by using your card or key with an old-fashioned meters.
The energy you use will be noted as a debt on your meter. You’ll be able to repay it the next time you recharge.
The government is offering every household within Great Britain with an electricity supply a PS400 reduction on energy bills , spread over six months starting in October 2022 until March 2023, through the Energy Bills Support Scheme.
If you’re prepay customer using an intelligent meter, this discount is automatically applied in the form of credit every month. Customers who have traditional prepayment meters will be sent vouchers via post.
Does British Gas sell renewable energy?
British Gas buys some of the electricity generated by renewable sources that it sells directly from generators, as well purchasing certificates that match the usage of its customers.
Renewable electricity proportions according the British Gas 2021/2022 energy mix. Other responses based on data supplied by suppliers between the months of August as well as September of 2022.
In the months of August and September 2022, we surveyed energy companies to provide information on various sustainability-related criteria. We gave them points based on their responses , as well as information that they publish on their websites, such as their annual Fuel Mix Disclosure (FMD). We scored various aspects, including how much energy they provide is renewable, and whether they produce renewable energy themselves or purchase it direct from the generators.
In general British Gas’ electricity fuel mix for 2021/22 comprised 48% of renewable, and 28 percent nuclear (from its participation in EDF Energy’s nuclear power plants).
British Gas buys 0.4% of the renewable energy its domestic customers consume directly from generators, and a additional 0.4 percent is provided with REGO certificates. More than two-thirds (70 percent) is tied to renewable energy generated outside of the UK and in Europe by using Guarantees of Origin (GoOs).
Customers who purchase British Gas’ Green Future Tariff get their electricity usage in line with renewable sources of electricity generation within the UK.
In our study of energy companies based on their green certifications in November 2022, British Gas scored 35%. It’s at the bottom of our table of 21 companies we evaluated.
British Gas in the news
British Gas in 2023
Feb. British Gas said it will stop fitting prepayment meters until “at least the end of winter’. A third-party firm used to British Gas to persue customer for debts, imposed prepayment meters on the most vulnerable customers, as per an article.
British Gas in 2022
December, British Gas launched a new program to pay customers to reduce their energy consumption during National Grid’s “turn-down” events. The company said it will be sending out emails to over 100,000 smart meters customers to sign up for the trial and will pay them approximately PS4 for each amount of energy they save in comparison to what they typically consume.
April: The energy company is being urged by YourMoney.com to apologize after the former People’s Energy and Neon Reef customers who were transferred to it via the Supplier of Last Resort process claimed they received misleading emails regarding the cost they would be charged for their energy usage. YourMoney.com provided evidence to Ofgem as well as the Energy Ombudsman, calling on them to examine the matter.
The month of February. British Gas set up an arrangement designed to secure the PS294m it has in credit balances by using direct debits made by its customers. The funds will be kept in a separate bank account from the funds used by the company for its day-to-day operations.
British Gas in 2021
December: The company announced that its brand new, British Gas Evolve, changed the name of its brand in to British Gas.
October: British Gas became the new supplier to Bluegreen Energy, Neon Reef, Social Energy and Zebra Power customers after the smaller companies have ceased trading.
September September: Customers from MoneyPlus Energy, People’s Energy and PFP Energy were moved to British Gas after the smaller providers shut down trading. Total, about 441,000 customers were transferred from PFP Energy to British Gas.
The month of April. British Gas will begin providing electricity and gas to the Nabuh Energy’s 36,000 customers following the time it purchased the brand’s smaller size.