British Gas in 2020: Prices, Plans, Reviews

British Gas
Founded	1986
Client Email	customerservice@britishgas.co.uk
Client Number	00 44 113 298 0900
Log in	Log into your British Gas Energy account here
Number of clients	13 million
Postal Address	British Gas, PO Box 227, ROTHERHAM, S98 1PD

British Gas: are they the right energy supplier for me?

What makes them different?

• British Gas is the oldest energy supplier in the UK, founded in 1986. Under Margaret Thatcher, British Gas was privatised in this year and became the first ever private energy supplier in the UK. Officially, however, they have been functioning for over 200 years under different names, such as the Gas Light and Coke Company, and the British Gas Corporation.
• Not only is British Gas the oldest energy company in the UK, it is also one of the oldest in the world!

British Gas today

• Nowadays, British Gas provide around 11 millions of homes with energy as the biggest energy supplier in the UK.
• British Gas have formed partnerships with a number of other private companies, such as Sainsbury's, the famous supermarket. This partnership ended in 2019, however.
• With the introduction of stricter regulations surrounding energy supply by Ofgem (a government regulatory body for energy supply in the UK), British Gas has been hit quite hard. This is because smaller energy companies are attracting a lot of British Gas' customers, due to lower tariffs, greener plans and better customer service.
• Despite this, British Gas is still the biggest of the 'Big 6' - namely, the 6 largest energy suppliers in the UK. Their market share currently stands at around 29%, which is impressive given there are around 70 gas and electricity providers in the UK!

Who do they support?

Do you need emergency financial support? The British Gas charitable trust is an organisation that seeks to help those who are struggling to pay their bills. The trust funds organisations who provide emergency relief and support to those who need it, such as boiler repairs and fuel top-ups.

British Gas also offer a Warm Home Discount. This means that if a customer can't afford to pay their bills during the winter, they are eligible for discounts. Why only in the winter? Well, tariff prices reflect supply and demand. This means that in the winter, there is more demand for heat, so the price goes up to reflect this. If you can't afford to pay for this extra cost, you can apply year after year for this scheme to help you pay to fuel your house. British Gas will probably ask for proof of your financial situation, however, so be prepared to give some details about this.

British Gas Tariffs, Plans and Offers

If you are a new customer, British Gas have 4 tariffs for you to choose from. There are a lot more tariffs available, but they are limited for new customers. However, there are still plenty of options available, from dual fuel, to single electricity, the choices are wide and varied.

For long-standing customers of British Gas, you can choose dual energy, fixed or variable tariffs, single or double electricity, all depending on your energy needs. Dual energy means that your gas and electricity tariffs are all in one place, under the same plan, rather than kept separate. This is generally considered to be much more convenient, and often cheaper, as discounts are usually provided for dual fuel customers. If you opt for a fixed tariff, this means that the price of your energy per kWh remains constant for the duration of your energy plan. Your bill will not be subject to market fluctuations, so you won't be hit with any sudden price increases! Variable tariffs do not offer this consistency, however there are upsides to choosing this type of tariff as well; just as your bill can increase, it can also significantly drop in price. It just means that your supplier is free to change the cost per unit of your energy at any time.

Electricity

British Gas also offers two types of electricity plan: single and economy 7. Single electricity does what it says on the tin: you have one tariff for all of your electricity consumption. However, economy 7 makes more sense to lot's of people. It means that the price of electricity is determined by demand. Demand is dictated by the time of day when it comes to electricity. At night, when people are sleeping or less active, less electricity is used. So, at night, electricity prices drop, and economy 7 tariffs reflect this drop in demand. If you want to be smart about your electricity consumption and make savings on your energy bill, you can opt for an economy 7 tariff, and use most of your electricity at night, such as washing your clothes or charging your electric car.

If you're unsure, you can get in touch with us to discuss the best tariff for you.

British Gas Tariffs

HomeEnergy Secure

HomeEnergy secure fixes your energy prices until 2022 meaning that your energy tariff won't increase even if market prices do and that you'll know exactly how much you'll be paying each month. However, there is an exit fee of £40.

HomeEnergy Secure is not the most green plan that British Gas offer, however it certainly does its bit for the planet.100% of the electricity used on this plan is matched by renewable energy. This means that British Gas will send renewable energy back to the grid by buying Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origins certificates.

Energy with Boiler Cover

This is another of British Gas' fixed tariffs, so your prices won't increase month by month. It also comes with Boiler Cover at no extra cost meaning you'll be covered for all kind of issues with your boiler, such as breakdown or service. Every 12 months, your cover will be renewed and you can cancel this cover at any time. The exit fee for this plan is £30.

Unfortunately, this plan doesn't appear to be very green. Unlike other plans, British Gas hasn't committed to sending energy back to the grid through Energy with Boiler Cover. If you want a greener plan, you should probably look elsewhere.

Green Future

Another fixed tariff from British Gas. Though it typically cost a few pounds extra a month, the Green Future tariffs powers your home whilst also working to save the planet.

• 6% of the gas you use is matched by British Gas and sent back to the grid.
• 94% of the gas you use with Green Future will be offset.
• 100% of the electricity you use is matched by British Gas and sent back to the grid.
• 5 trees will be grown in the UK per unit of fuel you use on this tariff. By opting for this tariff, you are also supporting carbon offsetting and climate change initiatives.

Electric Drivers

If you have an electric vehicle, this is the plan for you. It offers you energy at a lower price so you can charge you car during low-peak periods, particularly at night between 12 am and 5am. If you decide to switch to another tariff, there is no exit fee for this plan. Also this a dual fuel direct debit plan only. This means that you'll need to get both your gas and electricity from this plan.

100% of the electricity you use on this plan will be matched by British Gas. How does this work? They will buy the same amount of electricity you use from renewable sources. It also encourages the use of electric vehicles, which is far better for the environment!

Standard Variable

This is British Gas's variable tariff, meaning that the price per unit of energy depends on market price fluctuations. If prices are about to increase, British Gas will give you 30 days notice before this is reflected in your energy bill. But remember the Ofgem price cap means that there is a limit on how far the price of energy can increase. There is no exit fee for this plan, so you can switch to a different tariff with no hidden costs. You can opt for dual fuel on this plan, or use it for just gas or electricity.

This plan doesn't sell itself as particularly green.

Safeguard PAYG

This is a Pay As You Go tariff, meaning it's variable. So, each time you top up your card, the prices might be different, reflecting wholesale market energy prices. There are no exit fees for this tariff.

Like the Standard Variable tariff, there are no particular green credentials to the Pay As You Go plan.

British Gas Average Tariff Prices

Single Electricity

Double Electricity

Gas

If you want to know more about the cost of tariffs offered by British Gas, you should give us a ring, and one of our experts can give you the most accurate and up-to-date information.

What is British Gas' cheapest tariff?

According to thisismoney.com, the Energy and Boiler Cover Green is British Gas' cheapest plan for customers with a smart meter installed, costing an average of £897 and making it one of the cheapest energy plans on the market. However, just because a plan is cheap, that doesn't mean it's right for you. Your living situation and household has automatic requirements based on size, number of inhabitants and average energy consumption. That's why it's important to weigh up all the options before choosing to switch to a new plan. There are lot's of things to take into account, and we will do that for you.

Do British Gas have business energy deals?

A lot of the time, when judging an energy supplier, we only take into account their domestic energy tariffs. However, most suppliers on the market also have a range of business energy deals with their corporate clients. At the moment, British Gas offer just one gas and electricity tariff for their business customers.

Their business services are impressive, however. They offer a 24 hour service for their business customers, and competitive rates based on energy consumption. Depending on the size of your business, British Gas will offer a single point of contact for all your energy queries and services.

To summarise their business energy deals, British Gas offer:

• Tariffs that suit the size of your company, whether you are a small business or a larger corporation.
• Both fixed and flexible contracts.
• Plans ranging from 30 days to 3 years.
• Dual fuel or single fuel tariffs.
• A multi-site tariff for companies with multiple offices, collating all your sites' usage in one plan.

Head over to the British Gas website to find the best deal for your company.

What is British Gas' best plan?

There is no best plan from any supplier. The best plan for you depends on your specific energy needs, as well as the market position of energy suppliers, as prices tend to fluctuate. Give us a ring and we can talk you through your options to ensure that you're not losing out on energy.

Do British Gas have a boiler service?

As part of British Gas HomeCare, British Gas offer boiler cover for their customers. An annual boiler service is included in all HomeCare plans, including engineer callouts and a 24 hour hotline if you have any problems. You also have a 14 day cooling-off period if you want to cancel your plan! It's important to get boiler cover if you have a boiler heating your home, as some home insurance plans might not cover boiler repairs if there is a problem.

You can book an annual boiler service for just £85 through their website to ensure that your boiler is working as efficiently as you would like. If you are a 5 year warranty customer, you must get your boiler serviced once a year in order for your warranty to stay valid.

Need a new boiler? You can book an appointment online to speak with a British Gas adviser who can help you decide on the right boiler for your household's needs.

British Gas Home Insurance

On top of boiler cover, British Gas also offer a home insurance plan. They offer buildings cover to landlords who rent our their property and want to cover themselves for damage. They also offer contents insurance if you are renting from a landlord. If you own the house, and live in it, you can even take out both. However, British Gas Home Insurance is only available to take out for your main residence. So if you have a second home you want to insure, you'll have to look elsewhere.

British Gas Feed-In-Tariff Scheme

Unfortunately, the British Gas FIT scheme was so popular that they had to stop it altogether. How does this work, you ask?! Well, with a FIT scheme, if you have solar panels then you are eligible to get money back if you sell excess energy back to the grid. In other words, if you generate too much energy for your household's needs through your solar panels, then you can make money from this.

So what happened? Well, so many households joined the scheme and were making money, that there weren't enough funds to pay every household for their excess energy. If you were already on a FIT scheme with British Gas before it was cancelled, don't worry, as you are still eligible to continue on it until your contract runs out. Unfortunately, you won't be able to renew it, and you'll have to look to another supplier for a new FIT scheme.

British Gas Smart Meters

In the UK, the government has made it a requirement for all suppliers to at least offer smart meters to their customers. It's up to you if you want to have one - this isn't a requirement. For this reason, British Gas offer smart meters to all of their customers. Having a smart meter is good for so many reasons, including:

• It allows you to stay on top of your up-to-date energy consumption.
• You can keep on top of your Feed-In-Tariff (FIT).
• It helps you to make smart decision about how to reduce your energy usage.
• It makes paying bills quicker and easier, as you can provide instant meter readings.

If you are already a British Gas customer, you can log into your account online, or visit the app, to apply for your smart meter.

Reviews ⭐

What do their customers say?

According to TrustPilot, British Gas ranks 3.7/5 for customer satisfaction based on reviews from over 27,000 customers. 49% of reviews deemed the quality of service to be 'excellent'.

Due to the emergence of lot's of smaller and greener energy companies on the market, British Gas is dropping in the rankings. This is because their customer satisfaction doesn't compare to that of smaller companies, who tend to look after their customers better. Generally, what pushed British Gas customers to a new supplier was the price of their tariffs, which are generally considered to be very high, or at least a lot higher than other providers on the market.

However, British Gas also have lot's of pros over some of their competitors. For example, customers are generally happy with their Warm Home Discount scheme, as well as their app and online services which are easy to use.

But don't take our word for it - make sure you always read reviews online about suppliers before you switch over to a new one. It's important to get a broad overview.

British Gas fuel mix & renewable energy

Where do British Gas get their energy from?

• British Gas haven't quite managed to become one of the 100% renewable suppliers in the UK. Only 56% of British Gas' energy comes from renewable sources, with 4% from coal. Compared to the other 5 suppliers who make up the 'Big 6', this is a relatively good statistic. However, relative to smaller suppliers, such as Bulb whose energy tariff is 100% renewable, greener moves need to be made.
• With so many suppliers moving over to 100% green energy, this doesn't look great for British Gas. However, they have committed to offsetting the carbon footprint of their customers.
• British Gas have partnered up with ClimateCare, who will offset 94% of the gas British Gas customers use. They do this by investing in carbon reduction projects in developing countries.

Do British Gas have a renewable energy plan?

British Gas' green tariff is 100% renewable, and promises to offset all the electricity you buy with renewables. For businesses, British Gas also offer a 100% renewable electricity tariff that has been accredited by the Carbon Trust. By opting for the Renewable Electricity for Business, the same amount of electricity you use will be sent back to the grid.

As well as this, British Gas' Green Future tariffs aim to offset your domestic consumption and invests in environmental impact projects.

However, this still doesn't really fare up compared to the renewable plans provided by some other suppliers, like Bulb or Octopus. If a green energy plan is a priority for you, it's best to look elsewhere, perhaps to a smaller, independent energy provider.

Want to get in touch with British Gas?

British Gas have customer service numbers for pretty much every issue or query you might have.

If you're already a British Gas customer, then you can ring 0333 202 9802 any weekday between 8am and 8pm, Saturday between 8am and 6pm, and Sunday between 10am and 4pm. This number is to be used only if you already have an account and have some queries.

The British Gas head office is located at Millstream, Maidenhead Road, Windsor, Berkshire SL4 5GD. However, to post something to them, their PO box is PO Box 227, Rotherham, S98 1PD.

British Gas also have an app that is pretty highly rated. On this app, you can submit meter readings, book a utility service, and pay your bills, plus so many more services.

In short, there are a lot of ways you can get in touch with British Gas! Remember, if you want an impartial service, you can always get in touch with one of our experts to chat through your energy options.