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UK domestic energy supplier

British Gas UK

4.4/5 351,153 customer reviews

Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Windsor, Berkshire, British Gas supplies gas and electricity to UK households. Compare tariffs, customer service, complaints and ownership below.

Founded 1986 About 7.5 million households Windsor, Berkshire Big Six member

Founded

1986

Years on the UK market

Customers

About 7.5 million households

Households served

Employees

About 20,000

Workforce size

About

Who is British Gas?

Registered as British Gas Trading Limited, British Gas uses this legal name for Ofgem licence filings, contracts and any formal communications. The trading name customers see on bills is the shorter, more recognisable form.

The company is headquartered in Windsor, Berkshire, where it runs its senior management, customer operations and regulatory liaison with Ofgem.

British Gas was established in 1986. A longer track record means more years operating under Ofgem rules and a wider history of customer feedback, billing systems and regulatory interactions.

British Gas is part of the Centrica plc group, which provides shared governance, financial backing and a broader pool of expertise in trading, hedging and regulatory work.

The company is regulated by Ofgem, the UK's energy regulator, and its complaint handling falls under the Energy Ombudsman alternative dispute resolution scheme.

Fuel mix

British Gas electricity fuel mix (2024)

British Gas's declared electricity fuel mix is well above the UK average (38% renewables). 100% renewable tariffs are also available as paid add-ons.

  • Renewable 76%
  • Nuclear 24%
  • Natural gas 0%
  • Coal 0%
  • Other 0%

Current tariffs

British Gas tariffs: as of April 2026

British Gas's default Standard Variable Tariff is capped by Ofgem's Energy Price Cap, reviewed every three months. The figures below reflect the current cap for a typical single-rate meter on direct debit, exc. VAT. Fixed-term tariffs sit above or below the cap depending on wholesale-market direction.

British Gas domestic and business tariff unit rates as of April 2026
Tariff Type Unit rate

Standard Variable Tariff

The default tariff British Gas places customers on when they roll off a fixed deal or switch in without choosing. Capped quarterly by the Energy Price Cap; no exit fee at any time.

Term: No fixed term · no exit fee

Variable 6.04 p / kWh

Fixed Tariff (12 months)

Locks in today's unit rate and standing charge for 12 months. Protects you from price-cap rises; charges a £50-per-fuel exit fee if you switch before the last 49 days of the contra...

Term: 12 months · exit fee £50/fuel

Fixed 5.85 p / kWh

Green Future (100% renewable)

Electricity matched 100% by REGO certificates from UK wind and solar generators. Same supply chain as the standard tariff — the "green" status is a paper-trail match — but the prem...

Term: 12 months · exit fee £75/fuel

Fixed 5.90 p / kWh

Pay As You Go (PAYG)

For prepayment-meter households. Capped by the Prepayment Meter cap (separate from the Standard Variable cap). Top up via Payzone, PayPoint, smart-meter app or online.

Term: No fixed term · no exit fee

Prepayment 5.99 p / kWh

Regulator

Who regulates British Gas?

Independent watchdog responsible for licences, price approvals and customer-protection rules.

Licence
Domestic supply licence — British Gas Trading Limited
Complaints escalation (ADR)
Energy Ombudsman

If British Gas does not resolve your complaint within eight weeks (or issues a deadlock letter sooner), you can refer it free of charge to the Energy Ombudsman. The Ombudsman's decision is binding on the supplier.

Timeline

British Gas — key dates

A short timeline of the British Gas brand — founding, milestones, regulatory events.

  1. 1812

    The Gas Light & Coke Company (GLCC), the world's first public utilities company, is founded in London.

  2. 1948

    The British gas industry is nationalised, dividing UK gas activity into 12 regional gas boards.

  3. 1972

    The British Gas Corporation is formed, consolidating the regional boards.

  4. 1986

    British Gas is privatised under Margaret Thatcher's government, becoming British Gas plc (the "Tell Sid" campaign).

  5. 1997

    British Gas demerges into Centrica plc (supply + services) and BG plc (transmission).

  6. 1998

    British Gas begins supplying electricity to UK households for the first time.

  7. 2014

    Ofgem orders British Gas to pay £1 million in compensation over mis-selling.

  8. 2021

    Wholesale-price crisis. British Gas absorbs more than half a million customers from collapsed competitors (People's Energy, Hydrogen Energy).

  9. 2024

    British Gas remains the largest UK domestic energy supplier, with about 26% gas-market share and 18% electricity-market share.

Save up to £300 per year
Independent comparison

Is British Gas the cheapest option for your home?

UK households can save up to £300 per year by switching to a supplier whose tariffs fit their actual gas + electricity usage. Compare against suppliers regulated by Ofgem in under two minutes.

Common questions

British Gas — frequently asked questions

British Gas is regulated by Ofgem and operates under a standard domestic-supply licence. Whether it is the right supplier for your household depends on your unit rate, standing charge, customer-service rating and any add-on services (HomeCare, Warm Home Discount eligibility). Always quote your annual kWh consumption when comparing prices — the headline rate alone does not predict your bill.

Switching to British Gas takes about five working days under the new Faster Switching service, and your supply is never interrupted. Sign up online with your address, postcode and a recent meter reading. British Gas will arrange the transfer with your current supplier, including the final meter reading and the closing bill.

The UK grid is supplied by a mix of gas, nuclear, wind, solar, biomass and imports. British Gas declares its fuel mix annually under Ofgem rules — see the fuel-mix section above for the current figures. Some tariffs are sold as 'green' or '100% renewable', which means the supplier matches your annual consumption with renewable electricity certificates (REGOs) rather than physically delivering renewable electrons to your home.

Most UK fixed-term tariffs include an exit fee (typically £25-£75 per fuel) if you switch before the contract ends. You can switch without an exit fee in the last 49 days of your contract. Variable tariffs (including the default tariff capped by the Energy Price Cap) have no exit fees.

You can reach British Gas on 0330 100 0056, Mon-Fri, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.. For a full breakdown of phone lines (emergency, prepayment, HomeCare, bereavement, Welsh, Relay UK), see the British Gas contact page.

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