Watchdog Which? has named the best and worst energy providers in an annual survey. Octopus Energy, Utility Warehouse and 100Green were named the best energy providers. Whilst British Gas, Scottish Power, and Ovo Energy were at the bottom of the rankings.
The rankings were determined by the experiences of almost 12,000 energy customers as well as Which?’s assessment of 16 firms’ practices and policies. The worst firms, including British Gas, Ovo Energy, Scottish Power and So Energy all achieved an overall score of under 60%.
British Gas was one of four suppliers to receive just two stars for overall customer service, and achieved a below-average customer score of 61%. When it came to value for money, British Gas only received two stars.
British Gas also performed poorly for the volume of customer complaints it received in the first half of 2024. The provider also performed poorly for how efficiently it resolved complaints, and for meeting its smart meter targets.
The third-largest energy provider in the UK, Ovo, received the lowest customer score of 56%, with customers reporting negatively on its value for money and communication.
So Energy performed better than British Gas and Ovo on customer satisfaction, achieving a score of 63%. However they were rated poorly for meeting smart meter targets, switching and limited monitoring of phone lines and emails outside working hours and the weekend.
Octopus Energy achieved the highest overall score of 74%, with just under nine in 10 customers saying they were satisfied and would recommend it to others. It scored maximum points for customer support in Which?’s assessment of supplier practices.
Utility Warehouse received the second-highest overall score of 73%, while 100Green received an overall score of 70%.
Which? Energy editor Emily Seymour said: “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.
“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.
“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.”