UK domestic energy supplier

Budget Energy UK

Q: How do I switch to Budget Energy?

Switching to Budget Energy 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. Budget Energy will arrange the transfer with your current supplier, including the final meter reading and the closing bill.

Q: Are there exit fees on Budget Energy tariffs?

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.

Q: How do I contact Budget Energy customer service?

You can reach Budget Energy on 0800 012 1177, Mon-Fri 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sat 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.. For a full breakdown of phone lines (emergency, prepayment, HomeCare, bereavement, Welsh, Relay UK), see the Budget Energy contact page.

Founded in 2011 and headquartered in Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland, Budget Energy supplies gas and electricity to UK households. Compare tariffs, customer service, complaints and ownership below.

See Budget tariffs

Founded 2011 Over 90,000 homes, farms and businesses Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland

Founded

2011

Years on the UK market

Customers

Over 90,000 homes, farms and businesses

Households served

About

Who is Budget Energy?

Registered as Budget Energy Limited, Budget Energy 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 Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland, where it runs its senior management, customer operations and regulatory liaison with Ofgem.

Budget Energy was established in 2011. A longer track record means more years operating under Ofgem rules and a wider history of customer feedback, billing systems and regulatory interactions.

Budget Energy is part of the Flogas (since May 2020) group, which provides shared governance, financial backing and a broader pool of expertise in trading, hedging and regulatory work.

As a Northern Ireland energy supplier, Budget Energy is regulated by the Utility Regulator (UR) for Northern Ireland, not Ofgem. Statutory consumer protection is handled by the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland (CCNI), which escalates unresolved complaints on behalf of NI households.

Current tariffs

Budget Energy tariffs: as of 28 February 2026

Northern Ireland is a separate electricity market from Great Britain — Ofgem's Energy Price Cap does not apply here. Domestic tariffs are reviewed and approved by the Utility Regulator (UREGNI). The figures below are Budget Energy's published rates effective from 15 January 2026, including 5% VAT, as listed in the Consumer Council for Northern Ireland comparison table (28 February 2026). Annual costs assume a typical 3,200 kWh single-rate household.

Budget Energy domestic and business tariff unit rates as of 28 February 2026
Tariff	Type	Unit rate	Standing
Bill Pay Fixed Price Q4 25 Budget Energy's cheapest published tariff: a 12-month fixed-price plan for Bill Pay (Direct Debit / cash / cheque / online or postal) customers. Available to new and existing custo... Term: 12 months · no exit fee	Fixed	25.116 p / kWh	14.553 p/day
Keypad Fixed Price Q4 25 A 12-month fixed-price prepayment plan: identical commercial terms to the Bill Pay Fixed Price Q4 25 but for keypad meters. Estimated annual bill around £868 at 3,200 kWh, the chea... Term: 12 months · no exit fee	Fixed	25.463 p / kWh	14.553 p/day
Bill Pay 29% Discount 1-year fixed-term 29% discount off Budget Energy's Standard Bill Pay unit rate. Tracks any change to the standard tariff but always 29% below it. Available to new and existing cust... Term: 12 months · no exit fee	Variable	27.241 p / kWh	14.553 p/day
Keypad 20% Discount + £80 Welcome Credit 12-month 20% discount off the Keypad Standard 24hr rate plus an £80 welcome credit (£40 when you switch, £40 after month 9). Lower standing charge (9.975p/day) than the standard ke... Term: 12 months · no exit fee	Variable	30.078 p / kWh	9.975 p/day
Bill Pay Loyalty 18% Discount + £100 Credit A renewal-focused plan: 1-year fixed-term 18% discount off the standard Bill Pay unit rate plus £100 free credit applied to the first bill. No exit fee. Estimated annual bill aroun... Term: 12 months · no exit fee	Fixed	31.461 p / kWh	14.553 p/day
Bill Pay Economy 7 Two-rate variable tariff for credit-meter households on an Economy 7 meter: a cheaper night unit rate (18.138 p/kWh) from roughly 23:00 to 08:00, and a higher day rate (42.912 p/kW... Term: No fixed term · no exit fee	Variable	42.91 day / 18.14 night p / kWh	24.035 p/day
Keypad Economy 7 Prepayment Economy 7 tariff: night rate 19.461 p/kWh, day rate 40.262 p/kWh, standing 22.559p/day. Designed for keypad customers with storage heaters or overnight EV charging. No s... Term: No fixed term · no exit fee	Prepayment	40.26 day / 19.46 night p / kWh	22.559 p/day
Keypad Promotional 1 Economy 7 1-year fixed-term 16% discount off the standard Keypad Economy 7 rates, with a £40 welcome credit. Day rate 33.821 p/kWh, night rate 16.499 p/kWh, standing 22.559p/day. New custome... Term: 12 months · no exit fee	Fixed	33.82 day / 16.50 night p / kWh	22.559 p/day
Bill Pay Standard 24hr The default single-rate variable tariff for Bill Pay customers, what you roll on to when a fixed term ends. The 4% increase from 15 January 2026 pushed the unit rate to 38.367 p/kW... Term: No fixed term · no exit fee	Variable	38.367 p / kWh	14.553 p/day
Keypad Standard 24hr The default single-rate variable tariff for keypad / prepayment customers after the January 2026 increase. Higher standing charge (18.233p/day) than the Bill Pay variant. Estimated... Term: No fixed term · no exit fee	Prepayment	37.597 p / kWh	18.233 p/day

Open the full Budget tariffs page

Regulator

Who regulates Budget?

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

Complaints escalation (ADR): Utility Regulator

Timeline

Budget Energy — key dates

A short timeline of the Budget Energy brand — founding, milestones, regulatory events.

2011
Budget Energy is founded in Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
2020
Flogas acquires Budget Energy in May 2020, maintaining the Budget Energy brand.
2026
Budget Energy applies a 4% standard-tariff increase from 15 January 2026 — typical credit annual bill rises to around £1,281, typical prepayment to around £1,270 at 3,200 kWh. Discounted fixed and variable plans (Fixed Price Q4 25, 29% Discount, Loyalty 18%) shield switchers from most of the increase.

Save up to £300 per year

Independent comparison

Is Budget 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.

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Common questions

Budget Energy — frequently asked questions

Budget Energy 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 Budget Energy 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. Budget Energy 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. Budget Energy 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 Budget Energy on 0800 012 1177, Mon-Fri 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sat 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.. For a full breakdown of phone lines (emergency, prepayment, HomeCare, bereavement, Welsh, Relay UK), see the Budget Energy contact page.