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Best energy suppliers in 2024
Selecting the right energy supplier for your home is crucial for both your comfort and your budget. To save you the legwork, we’ve analysed the latest data to identify the best options available in 2024.
In a comprehensive survey conducted by Which? in October 2022, over 10,000 customers weighed in on their experiences with various energy suppliers. Based on this extensive feedback, here are the top 10 energy suppliers of 2024:
| Energy Supplier | Customer satisfaction score* | Which? Assessment score** | Overall Score** |
|---|---|---|---|
| Octopus Energy | 73% | 82% | 78% |
| Utilita | 59% | 75% | 67% |
| Utility Warehouse | 67% | 64% | 65% |
| Co-op Energy | 56% | 72% | 64% |
| E | 60% | 69% | 64% |
| Ovo Energy | 50% | 76% | 63% |
| EDF Energy | 53% | 71% | 62% |
| Boost Energy | 52% | 71% | 61% |
| British Gas | 52% | 68% | 60% |
| Sainsbury's Energy | 54% | 63% | 59% |
** “Which?” assessment score is based on: support for vulnerable customers (40%); complaints performance (30%); customer service (30%).
***Total score is a combination of the customer score and Which? assessment score.
Source: Which? 2023 customer survey data
Top 10 Energy Suppliers in 2024
#1 Octopus Energy
Octopus Energy came out on top of the survey with the highest overall score. Octopus excelled in customer satisfaction, support for prepayment, and support for vulnerable customers.
Octopus Energy is the only energy supplier that the survey recommends for the 6th consecutive year.
#2 Utilita
Utilita came a distant 2nd in the survey, specialising in pay-as-you-go prepayment smart metres. Utilita prides itself in being the only energy provider, specifically focusing on helping households use less energy.
With an overall score of 67%, Utilita received high marks for the ‘usefulness of information about energy costs’ and ‘support for vulnerable customers.’
#3 Utility Warehouse
Utility Warehouse came 3rd in the survey, offering a unique bundled approach that includes broadband, mobile, home insurance, and boiler care.
The company scored highly in ‘clarity of bills’ and ‘value for money’ but fell short in areas such as ‘support for vulnerable customers’ and ‘accuracy of payments’.
#4 Co-op Energy
Co-op Energyis powered by Octopus Energy and offers mobile, broadband and business solutions in addition to home energy.
The company excelled in ‘support for vulnerable customers’ and ‘value for money’ but scored poorly in ‘clarity of statements’ and ‘clarity of communication about the energy market’, receiving just 2 out of 5 stars in each of these categories.
#5 E
E is a pay-as-you-go energy company that offers deals with no exit fees and a referral scheme. E is a participant in Energy UK‘s Vulnerability Commitment programme.
Although only 62 of E’s customers participated in the Which? survey—a small sample compared to their 300,000-strong customer base—their overall score of 64% still places them among the top 5 best home energy suppliers for 2023.
#6 Ovo Energy
Ovo Energymarkets itself as an eco-friendly provider with their commitment to planting over 1 million trees annually for carbon absorption. Ovo is also one of the largest suppliers, boasting a customer base of over 4.5 million households in the UK.
The ‘green colossus’ placed 6th in the survey, excelling in ‘support for vulnerable customers’ but performing poorly in overall customer satisfaction (ranked 13th out of 16).
#7 EDF Energy
The French company is the UK’s largest supplier of electricity by volume, catering to both homes and businesses. They provide energy services like solar panel installations, EV charging, and smart meters.
In the Which? survey, EDF ranked impressively for their ‘support to vulnerable customers’ but received average scores in most other areas like ‘complaint resolution’.
#8 Boost Energy
Boost Energy is a pay-as-you-go-only energy supplier that is part of Ovo Energy. Established in 2017 it now has an impressive 350,000 customers.
Boost scored high on their ‘support for vulnerable customers’, but they scored very low on ‘customer satisfaction’ and the worst score for ‘clarity of statements’.
#9 British Gas
British Gas is the UK’s largest domestic energy supplier, servicing over 9 million homes in the UK.
Naturally, BG had the highest participation in the survey with over 3,000 customers but didn’t fare well in most categories.
They scored 52% in customer satisfaction and 5 out of 10 for complaint resolution.
#10 Sainsbury’s Energy
Sainsbury’s Energy operates in partnership with Eon Next.
It has a dedicated service team and the ability to collect Nectar points when signing up, so it is well integrated with Sainsbury’s supermarket loyalty program.
Its scores in the survey were average across the board, scoring between 2-3 stars out of 5 in all categories.
Which energy supplier has the best customer service?
Octopus Energy stands out as Which?’s top-recommended energy supplier in 2023. They excelled in all facets of the customer survey and clinched the top spot for customer service, complaint handling, and overall customer satisfaction. This distinction cements their position as the premier energy supplier in terms of customer service.
What makes the “best” energy supplier?
The definition of the ‘best’ energy supplier is subjective, varying based on individual preferences and circumstances.
Your ideal supplier may be one that offers a pay-as-you-go scheme, one that excels in supporting vulnerable customers, or perhaps one providing 100% renewable energy.
Let’s delve into some of the factors that might determine the ‘best’ energy supplier for different individuals.
Customer Service and Complaint Handling
Choosing an energy supplier renowned for outstanding customer service and efficient complaint handling is crucial.
It’s essential to have a supplier that offers prompt responses to any grievances and ensures swift resolutions at the first instance.
To gauge the performance of various suppliers, you can consult Trustpilot reviews, Google reviews, and the data from the Which? best energy supplier 2023.
Value for money
It’s essential to choose a supplier that offers good value for money. Use our home energy comparison tool to compare electricity prices and identify the supplier that provides the best value tailored to your household’s needs.
Green Energy
Opting for a home energy supplier that uses renewable energy will help you reduce your home’s carbon footprint.
Suppliers like Octopus, Good Energy, Ovo Energy, and EDF Energy, offer renewable energy or specific renewable energy tariffs.
How do I choose the best energy supplier?
With over 25 active home energy suppliers in the UK, selecting the most suitable one for your needs can be overwhelming.
Currently, switching to a new energy supplier is not an option unless you’re relocating to a new property.
However, we’ve provided some tips below to guide you in making the best choice when the opportunity arises.
Biggest Energy Suppliers
The UK’s biggest energy suppliers are collectively known as the “big six” and comprise of the following companies:
- British Gas
- EDF
- EON
- Ovo Energy
- SSE
- Scottish Power
But despite servicing over 70% of the UK’s home energy market, none of them stood out in the Which?’s Best Supplier of 2023 survey.
Their main advantage is that as large, diversified companies, they are more likely to weather challenging market conditions like the recent pandemic that made a number of energy suppliers go bust.
But as we witnessed in 2020, this makes no difference to customers, as in fact the costs of this event were borne by all customers.
Renewable Energy Suppliers
If you are looking to reduce your home’s direct carbon emissions, opting for a renewable energy supplier may be the way forward.
However, it’s important to note that there is no set definition of what makes a ‘green’ supplier or tariff, so make sure you understand the implications of the fuel mix used by the supplier.
Smart and Online Energy Suppliers
Suppliers like Boost and Utilita offer the ease of prepayment meters (essentially, pay-as-you-go) that can be topped up at any time using their handy app.
Similarly, Ovo Energy provides a free app that lets you keep track of your home’s energy, including the energy consumption of your home appliances.
Most energy suppliers offer smart meters to keep track of your energy usage via a digital network, simplifying the entire billing process.
British Gas, Ovo Energy, Shell and Scottish Power also offer Smart Home products, like smart thermostats, smart plugs, motion sensors, smart light bulbs, and home camera systems.
Energy and Utility Bundles
Several energy suppliers have diversified their offerings by providing additional services like home broadband, mobile contracts and insurance alongside their energy contracts.
These bundles are offered by suppliers like Utility Warehouse, amongst others.
FAQs – Best Energy Supplier
Our energy experts answer those commonly asked questions about domestic energy suppliers.
Who is currently the best energy supplier?
As we mentioned above, the “best” energy supplier depends on the needs of each customer.
However, our research suggests that Octopus Energy is overall the best as it took the top 2023 rating in Which?’s best energy supplier 2023 survey.
Who is the cheapest energy supplier in the UK?
There isn’t a single “cheapest” energy supplier in the UK, as this depends on your circumstances. The following factors decide the cost of your energy bills:
- Location: Energy prices vary by region and the wholesale source from which your supplier purchases its energy.
- Energy usage: Obviously, the more energy you use, the more you pay. For reference, here’s our article on average electricity usage.
- Tariff: The better your tariff suits your energy use the less you will pay. For example, variable tariffs are ideal for those more active in the middle of the night, and export tariffs are ideal for those doing electricity arbitrage.
- Meter type: This is closely related to your tariff and defines how you’re measuring your energy use. Smart meters, day/night meters or pre-payment meters (with or without a standing charge) will measure your energy use differently.
You can use our home energy comparison service to find the cheapest energy supplier for your specific situation.
Is now the right time to change energy supplier?
We are currently not able to offer any fixed-rate energy deals that are cheaper than the current price cap. Given the lack of cheaper alternatives, our experts suggest that it may be best to wait until Spring 2024 when better deals are anticipated.
On 31 March 2024, Ofgem is set to lift two key market protection measures: the ban on acquisition tariffs and the market stabilisation charge. These measures currently hinder suppliers from offering cheap energy deals to new customers.
To understand this situation, read our comprehensive guides on whether you should fix energy prices until 2024?
Which of the ‘Big Six’ Energy Suppliers is the Cheapest?
The cheapest of these large suppliers will depend on factors including location, annual usage, tariff and meter type.
You can use our home energy comparison service to find the cheapest energy supplier in the UK.