Octopus Energy, Utility Warehouse and 100Green have been named as Which? Recommended Providers in the consumer champion’s annual energy firm survey. On the other hand, some of the biggest firms, including British Gas, Scottish Power and Ovo Energy, found themselves at the bottom of the rankings.
The survey, conducted from September to October 2024, involved almost 12,000 energy customers. Furthermore, an in-depth assessment of 16 energy firms’ behind-the-scenes practices and policies was carried out to determine which energy firms are falling short and which are leading the competition.
British Gas, Ovo Energy, Scottish Power and So Energy all finished at the bottom of the rankings with overall scores of less than 60 per cent. British Gas, Ovo Energy and So Energy received the lowest overall score of 58 per cent, the Daily Record reports.
Despite being one of the UK’s biggest suppliers, British Gas underperformed in Which?’s research. Its customer score of 61 per cent was below average, and it is one of only four brands that received just two stars for overall customer service in the customer satisfaction survey – it also received two stars for value for money.
In Which?’s behind-the-scenes assessment of supplier practices, British Gas also performed poorly for the volume of customer complaints it received in the first half of 2024 and for how efficiently it resolved these complaints, for meeting its smart meter targets and for switching.
Ovo Energy, currently the UK’s third-largest energy provider, has been placed at the bottom of Which?’s rankings. The company received a low customer score of 56 per cent, with survey respondents giving it just two stars for overall customer service, value for money and communications.
In a behind-the-scenes assessment of supplier practices by Which?, Ovo Energy was criticised for its handling of customer complaints. So Energy outperformed both British Gas and Ovo Energy in the customer satisfaction survey, receiving mostly three-star ratings and a customer score of 63 per cent.
However, it was marked down for failing to meet smart meter targets, switching and limited monitoring of phone lines and emails outside of working hours and weekends. Scottish Power scored slightly higher with an overall score of 59 per cent, but its customer score of 58 per cent was the second-lowest in the survey.
Which? research has found the best and worst energy suppliers in the UK
(Image: Which?)
It only received two stars for overall customer service, ease of contact, value for money and customer communications. On the other end of the scale, three companies were crowned Which? Recommended Providers (WRPs), with Octopus Energy achieving the highest overall score of 74 per cent, earning it the WRP title for the eighth consecutive year.
Nearly nine out of 10 customers have expressed satisfaction with Utility Warehouse and 100Green, stating they would recommend the services to others. Both companies received glowing reviews in a customer satisfaction survey conducted by Which?, with mostly five-star ratings across various categories.
Utility Warehouse, in particular, was commended for its customer service, receiving five stars in this area. Stuart Burnett, CEO of Utility Warehouse, responded to the survey results, saying: “Being rated by Which? as a Recommended Provider is a huge milestone for us, and it’s great to see our efforts recognised like this. We’re proud to champion a better way by offering a real alternative to the status quo and providing a service which is built on putting people first”.
Meanwhile, 100Green also impressed with an overall score of 70 per cent and a customer score of 76 per cent, alongside high marks for handling customer complaints.
In the past year, energy prices have somewhat stabilised, leading to the return of some fixed deals that are slightly under the price cap. Considering the price cap’s expected slight increase in April, consumers could potentially see savings by switching to a fixed deal within the next six months.
With several offers closely matched in price, it becomes vital for customer service to stand out when people consider switching suppliers.
Which? research suggests there’s a notable variance in the customer service standards across different companies. Suppliers who are underperforming on service will need to step up their game or risk losing customers to rivals who offer better value and service.
Emily Seymour, Energy Editor at Which?, remarked: “Our research shows that while some energy firms are powering ahead of the competition, others are letting down their customers badly – and that’s unacceptable for such a vital service.”
She continued by highlighting that “Some big energy firms – including British Gas, Scottish Power and Ovo Energy – underperformed in our research. Any firms falling short urgently need to up their game to ensure they are providing the service and value for money that consumers rightly expect from their energy supplier.”
Emily Seymour concluded with advice for dissatisfied customers: “If people are unhappy with their provider, we’d recommend shopping around to look for a cheaper deal and switching to a supplier with better customer service.”