BRITAIN’S best energy provider has been crowned today – and it’s not British Gas or EDF.
Comparison website Uswitch has named the energy provider that is the best for overall customer satisfaction, customer service and value for money.
The awards, which are based on a survey of 15,000 energy customers, also reveal the best overall improvement and best small supplier.
Octopus Energy came out on top, winning the Uswitch Energy Awards for Overall Customer Satisfaction and Customer Service.
Utility Warehouse was named as the second best provider in both categories, while Utilita was the runner-up.
Octopus Energy was also crowned the joint winner of the award for Value for Money after tying with Utility Warehouse.
Customers praised Utility Warehouse for its money-saving bundles, Cashback Card and competitive prices.
British Gas was given the award for Best Overall Improvement for the second year in a row.
Meanwhile, 100Green received the award for Best Small Supplier.
Will Owen, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said it has been good to see energy suppliers competing with each other to offer better deals, which has led households to feel they are getting better value for money.
He said: “It’s reassuring to see that customers are regaining confidence in their energy providers, with overall satisfaction almost back to the levels we saw before the energy crisis.”
But he added that it’s important to remember that bills are still much more expensive than before the crisis, so there is still a lot of work to be done by providers.
He said: “To stay competitive, suppliers must focus on driving prices down for households, which includes competitive pricing as well as expanding offers such as innovative tariffs and rewarding demand flexibility schemes.”
The study also found that household satisfaction with the value for money they have get from their energy provider has risen by 10% in the past year.
In part, this is because competition between suppliers has led to more deals that are cheaper than the price cap.
There are now 24 fixed energy deals available that are cheaper than July’s price cap, which is set at £1,720 a year.
This is a 12-fold increase on the same time last year.
Meanwhile, overall customer satisfaction with energy suppliers is up 5% in the past year to 75%.
This is close to the 77% record seen just before the energy crisis.
As a result, more than three quarters of customers would recommend their energy provider, which is the highest level in the past five years.
In comparison, during the energy crisis in 2023, less than half of customers would have encouraged others to use their energy supplier.
Customer service satisfaction is also 10% higher than last year, while satisfaction with suppliers’ mobile apps has soared from 35% before the energy crisis to 83% this year.
This shows that suppliers are making progress in offering a convenient, digital customer experience, Uswitch said.
Save on your energy bill
Switching energy providers may sound like a hassle but it’s actually pretty straightforward and could save you lots of cash.
Use a comparison website such as MoneySuperMarket.com or Uswitch to see which deals are available to you and how much they cost.
The cheapest deals are usually found online and are fixed deals, which means you will pay a fixed amount for a set period, which is usually around 12 months.
Once you have found a deal that you like, all you need to do is contact your new supplier.
It helps if you have your postcode, name of existing supplier, the name of your existing deal, how much you pay and an up to date meter reading to hand.
You can usually find this on your bill.
It will then speak to your current supplier and will begin the switch.
It should take no longer than three weeks to complete the switch and your supply will not be interrupted during this time.
What energy bill help is available?
There's a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you're struggling to get by.
If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.
This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.
If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don’t think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
Several energy firms have schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.
But eligibility criteria vary depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.
British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).
The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill.
Some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.
Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.
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