British Gas Evolve is now part of the UK’s biggest energy supplier, British Gas. As its name suggests, it was intended to be a next-generation energy supplier with a focus on renewably-sourced power and online customer support. On November 26 2021, the British Gas Evolve brand was merged into British Gas.
British Gas Evolve rebrands as British Gas Due to feedbaack from customers, on 26 Noveember 2021, British Gas Evolve changed its name to British Gas. Existing customers do not need to do anything and your supply, tariff, and billing will not be affected.
Customers who were thinking about switching to British Gas Evolve might like to read our Guide to Comparing Energy Suppliers, or find out which British Gas Tariff is right for you.
About British Gas Evolve
In this section, we’re going to run you through a few key questions surrounding British Gas Evolve, starting with the most basic one:
What is British Gas Evolve?
Originally called British Gas X, British Gas Evolve was the online-only arm of British Gas which offers 100% renewable energy and an energy account that was managed entirely online. Like other energy providers adopting a 100% online ethos, it did not offer customer support over the phone, instead directing customers to its online chat function.
What’s the difference between British Gas and British Gas Evolve?
British Gas Evolve operated independently from British Gas but was owned by the same company - Centrica. The main differences between the two are quite superficial. British Gas Evolve claimed to offer 100% renewable tariffs and all of its customer service online, with no phone number to call if you need to speak with someone.
British Gas Evolve Reviews - was it any good?
Unfortunately, a look at consumer review website Trustpilot did not paint a pleasant picture of what customers have to say about British Gas Evolve. It has an average rating of 2 out of 5 stars on the site, 68% of British Gas Evolve Trustpilot reviews gave it the worst rating of 1 star. Unsurprisingly, difficulty contacting the provider is one of the main complaints from reviewers:
Sent umpteen messages as live chat does not work. Clearly overpaid these scammers and provided evidence yet just get fobbing off emails saying they don't understand. What a joke of a company.
If there’s one thing we’ve learnt, it’s that customer service which only relies on live chat via the provider’s website or app only works if the live chat service is effective. British Gas Evolve reviews posted by past and present customers on Trustpilot suggest that this is not the case.
Another common British Gas Evolve complaint from customers on the site is problems with bills. Many recent negative reviews report being overcharged, a problem which is usually compounded by not being able to get through to an agent to solve the problem.
The final gripe amongst British Gas Evolve reviews stems from the recent switch from British Gas Evolve to the main British Gas brand. Many customers seem unaware that this was happening, or they have had issues with the switch.
As British Gas Evolve is now British Gas, you can read our British Gas Reviews guide to find out what its customers think about the supplier.
British Gas Evolve Tariffs
British Gas Evolve boasted about the simplicity of its offer, and as such had just two tariffs for you to choose from at the time they changed name. They were the following:
- The Fixed One
- The Green One
Both of these tariffs were fixed dual fuel tariffs, which means that the price you paid would remain the same regardless of the wholesale price of energy for the duration of the tariff. There was, however, no exit fee when you decide to leave British Gas Evolve, which was highly unusual for fixed tariffs. Here is a more complete rundown of both deals:
| Tariff name | Tariff type | Exit fee | Fuel source |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Fixed One | Fixed (12 months) | £0 | 100% renewable electricity Carbon neutral gas |
| The Green One | Fixed (12 months) | £0 | 100% renewable electricity Carbon neutral gas |
As you can see from our table, the only significant difference between the two tariffs is that The Green One, as well as the standard 100% renewable electricity, also came with carbon neutral gas. This means that for every unit of gas you use, British Gas Evolve engaged in carbon offsetting activities to balance out the effect your use has on the environment.
Fuel mix
Like all providers, British Gas Evolve was obliged to release data pertaining to its fuel mix annually. Let’s see exactly where their power was sourced from:
| - | Coal | Natural gas | Nuclear | Renewables | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Gas Evolve average | 0% | 0% | 0% | 100% | 0% |
| National average | 5.2% | 41.4% | 18.7% | 32.8% | 1.9% |
*Data is for the period from 1st April 2019 to 31st March 2020.
As you can see, British Gas Evolve’s tariffs were said to be run on 100% renewable electricity. British Gas produces a certain percentage of green electricity itself and makes up for the rest by engaging in purchasing REGO certificates.
It’s important to note that, though 100% of British Gas Evolve’s electricity was either green or offset, this is not necessarily true of your gas supply. Those on The Fixed One will receive their gas supply from the National Grid, which is generally natural gas - a fossil fuel. Those on The Green One receive the same natural gas but British Gas Evolve commits to offset every kWh of gas they use.
Warm home discount
British Gas Evolve did offer its customers the Warm Home Discount. Customers who were transferred from British Gas Evolve to British Gas will be able to apply for the British Gas Warm Home Discount once it opens its application process for the Warm Home Discount scheme in early autumn.
British Gas Evolve Login
As it was a 100% online provider with no telephone support, you would have hoped that British Gas Evolve would have an app for managing your account. Unfortunately, this was not the case. To manage your account, you had to login via the website.
British Gas Eveolve Smart meters
British Gas Evolve did not offer smart meters to its customers. If you already had a smart meter, you were still able to switch to the provider but your meter lost its smart capabilities and became a ‘dumb’ meter once you switched.
How do I contact British Gas Evolve?
Customers looking for the British Gas Evolve contact number are advised to use the main British Gas Contact Number 0330 100 0056 to discuss your account.
All previous methods to get in touch with British Gas Evolve are now no longer available.
Need a Better Deal on Gas and Electric?
Find out how much you can save with EDF Energy today