In a comprehensive survey of energy providers in the UK, consumer group Which? has praised several smaller suppliers for outperforming their larger competitors when it comes to customer service. At the same time, some of the country’s biggest energy firms have been found wanting, with Scottish Power, British Gas, and EDF Energy ranked among the worst performers.
The annual Which? survey, which gathered feedback from nearly 12,000 energy customers, placed Scottish Power at the bottom of the league table for customer satisfaction. British Gas and EDF Energy were only marginally better, finishing just above Scottish Power. The weakest performer overall was So Energy, coming fourth from the bottom.
Other major suppliers in the lower half of the rankings included Ovo Energy, which came fifth from the bottom, and E.ON Next, which tied for sixth-worst alongside Ecotricity and Fuse Energy.
“While four suppliers are outshining the competition, some big firms – including Scottish Power, EDF and British Gas – are letting their customers down,” said Emily Seymour, the Which? energy editor.
However, the energy companies criticised in the report have disputed the findings, arguing that they contradict customer service scores from other industry bodies. A spokesperson for Scottish Power said the supplier’s performance as measured by Citizens Advice showed it had provided “sustained, high-quality delivery” for its customers, based on a “much more robust and transparent methodology” than the Which? survey.
British Gas also pointed to Ofgem data showing it had achieved the second-highest overall customer satisfaction score among major suppliers, with complaints falling by more than 20% in each of the past two years.
In contrast, the consumer champion praised four energy firms as “Which? recommended providers”: E (Gas and Electricity), a Birmingham-based company with over 300,000 customers that topped the table; as well as Octopus Energy, 100Green, and Sainsbury’s Energy.
Octopus Energy, the UK’s largest supplier, finished second overall and has been a Which? recommended provider for nine consecutive years. Greg Jackson, Octopus Energy’s founder and chief executive, said the company has maintained this recognition despite growing 160 times larger over the past nine years, thanks to its consistent focus on delivering value, service, and innovation for its customers.