British Gas
Thinking of switching to British Gas? Read our guide to British Gas tariffs, pricing and their boiler and heating cover.
Britain’s largest energy supplier is also, finally, getting better.
No energy supplier is more embedded in British life than British Gas. It has the largest customer base in the country, the most recognisable brand in the sector, and ahistory stretching back to the nationalised gas board. For a long time, that heritage was more burden than benefit but something is changing, and independent data is beginning to reflect it.
About British Gas
British Gas is part of Centrica plc and supplies gas and electricity to more UK households than any other provider. Beyond energy supply, it operates the UK’s most comprehensive home services division, covering boiler repair and servicing, plumbing, heating, smart home technology (Hive), and HomeCare insurance. This breadth of service is both a key selling point and a point of complexity for customers trying to assess value.
| Tariff | Type | Exit Fee | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Variable | Variable | None | No-commitment flexibility |
| Fixed 1-Year | Fixed | £50/fuel | 12-month budget certainty |
| Fixed 2-Year | Fixed | £75/fuel | Long-term price certainty |
| EV Tariff | Smart | Varies | EV owners charging overnight |
| PeakSave Sundays | Smart perk | N/A | Flexible households |
Pros and Cons of British Gas
| ✓ Pros | ✗ Cons |
|---|---|
| UK’s largest supplier, financially very stable | Not the cheapest, EDF and Octopus typically undercut on unit rate |
| Nationwide HomeCare engineer network | Citizens Advice ranks it 12th out of large suppliers |
| Hive smart home ecosystem integration | 22% one-star Trustpilot reviews, mainly billing and wait times |
| Smart tariff perks: half-price Sundays, PeakSave credits | Exit fees: £50–£75 per fuel on fixed deals |
| 76% renewable fuel mix, above UK average | Green credentials backed by certificates, not direct generation |
British Gas HomeCare, Boiler and Home Cover
Over 2 million UK households hold a British Gas HomeCare policy. Cover ranges from boiler only to full packages including plumbing, drainage, electrics, and kitchen appliance cover. The 24/7 helpline and nationwide engineer network mean help arrives when it’s needed most. No other major energy supplier offers comparable home cover at this scale. If you’re comparing boiler cover options, see our dedicated Boiler Cover comparison page.
Hive Smart Home Technology
British Gas owns the Hive brand, a smart home ecosystem covering smart thermostats, lighting, plug sockets, and security cameras, all controllable via app. Hive lets you heat your home before you arrive, set room-by-room heating schedules, and monitor energy use in real time. For customers interested in home energy management, it sits naturally alongside the EV Tariff for overnight car charging.
How to Switch to British Gas
- Step 1 Compare: Enter your postcode on Switcheroo to see British Gas alongside every other available tariff for your usage.
- Step 2 Choose your tariff: Fixed or variable, green or standard, with or without smart perks.
- Step 3 Switch: Your new supplier contacts your old one. No interruption to supply.
- Step 4 Cooling off: 14 days to change your mind, penalty-free.
- Step 5 Done: First bill arrives within.
British Gas Smart Meters and the Hive App
British Gas’s Hive smart thermostat and app system allows remote control of your heating and hot water via smartphone. From anywhere, you can adjust temperature, switch heating on/off, or create schedules. Hive learns your patterns over time and suggests optimisations to save energy. For busy households, remote control is genuinely useful, come home to a warm house without leaving heating on all day.
The Hive app also displays energy usage reports, helping you spot waste. Hive integrates with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, enabling voice control (‘Alexa, set the heating to 20 degrees’). Smart meters feed consumption data into the Hive app, showing real-time usage alongside weather forecasts and efficiency recommendations.
British Gas bundles Hive thermostats with some plans; others charge £200–£350 for installation. The app is intuitive, though some users find Hive less responsive than newer competitors like Tado or Nest. For prepayment meter customers, Hive enables auto top-up, eliminating the need to visit PayPoint manually. This is genuinely transformational for PPM users’ convenience.
If you’re a British Gas customer or considering switching, ask about Hive bundling; the costs and benefits determine value.
Support for Vulnerable Customers and Those Struggling to Pay
British Gas is required by Ofgem to offer a Priority Services Register (PSR) for customers who need extra support, elderly, disabled, or chronically ill. The Warm Home Discount provides a £150 rebate each winter for eligible households. If you’re struggling to pay, contact British Gas before arrears build, suppliers are legally required to offer affordable repayment plans.
Costs a little more than the challengers, but UK call centres and HomeCare bundles make it worth considering if reliability matters to you.
- Always compare their latest fixed tariff against the market before renewing, the gap to the cheapest deal varies considerably
- British Gas scores above mid-market on customer service, UK call centres and employed engineers are genuine differentiators
- Hive smart thermostat users tend to see 10-15% heating savings, which can partially offset the higher tariff cost
- The HomeCare bundle makes more financial sense the older your boiler is, below 5 years old, the premium is harder to justify
- Rarely the cheapest supplier on unit rates alone, you’re paying partly for the brand and service network
Frequently Asked Questions
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Is British Gas the cheapest energy supplier in the UK?
British Gas is rarely the cheapest option for a pure unit-rate comparison. EDF and Octopus Energy typically offer lower unit rates on equivalent fixed deals. Where British Gas competes on value is the broader package, HomeCare cover, Hive integration, and smart tariff perks. Use Switcheroo to compare the total annual cost across all suppliers at your postcode.
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What's British Gas HomeCare and is it worth it?
HomeCare is British Gas’s home services cover, ranging from boiler-only annual service and breakdown cover to full home emergency packages covering plumbing, drains, and electrics. It’s the most comprehensive offering from any energy supplier in the UK. Whether it’s worth it depends on your boiler’s age and your risk tolerance. See our Boiler Cover comparison page for a full breakdown of cover options.
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Does British Gas offer green energy tariffs?
British Gas’s fuel mix is 76% renewable, above the UK average, backed by Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin (REGO) certificates. It’s not a pure green supplier in the same way as Octopus or EDF, which have direct renewable generation assets. If maximising green credentials is your priority, compare green energy tariffs on our Compare Green Energy page.
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What smart tariffs does British Gas offer?
Offers an EV Tariff with a 7.9p/kWh overnight rate (midnight–5am) for electric vehicle owners, and PeakSave Sundays which gives 50% off electricity every Sunday. These require a smart meter. If you’re interested in time-of-use tariffs, also explore our EV Chargers guide for the best charging setups.
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What happens when my British Gas fixed deal ends?
You’ll automatically roll onto the Standard Variable Tariff, which tracks the Ofgem price cap. This is typically more pricey than a fixed deal. Set a reminder 30–60 days before your end date and use Switcheroo to compare all available tariffs, including British Gas’s new fixed deals, before your contract expires.
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How do I complain to British Gas?
Contact British Gas directly first, by phone on 0330 808 3880, via the app, or online. Suppliers must acknowledge complaints within two working days and resolve within eight weeks. If unresolved, escalate to the Energy Ombudsman (ombudsman-services.org/energy), which can issue binding decisions. Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 offers free, independent help.
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Is British Gas available to business customers?
Yes. British Gas offers business energy contracts for SMEs and larger commercial customers. Business tariffs aren’t subject to the Ofgem price cap. Compare business energy options on our Compare Business Energy page for the best commercial rates.
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Does British Gas offer a smart meter tariff?
Yes, British Gas offers smart tariffs for customers with smart meters installed. Their Hive integration allows usage tracking, and time-of-use pricing is available on selected tariffs. British Gas has been one of the faster large suppliers on smart meter installation volumes, with a large fleet of Gas Safe engineers able to install meters quickly. If you haven’t yet had a smart meter installed, British Gas typically offers relatively short wait times compared with some smaller suppliers.
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What is the British Gas Warm Home Discount?
The Warm Home Discount provides a £150 reduction on electricity bills for qualifying low-income and vulnerable households. British Gas is one of the largest participants in the scheme and processes claims from both automatically qualifying households (those receiving Pension Credit Guarantee Credit) and those in a broader group who may qualify based on income and energy costs. The discount is applied directly to your electricity bill rather than paid as cash. Eligibility is assessed by the government using DWP data, and qualifying households are generally notified by letter rather than needing to apply.
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How do I cancel British Gas?
You can cancel your British Gas energy supply by phone, online, or in writing. Cancellation is free if you’re outside a fixed contract or within the 49-day switch notice period. Fixed contracts incur exit fees (typically £20–£150 if you cancel early). Notice periods vary, usually 30–60 days. For HomeCare boiler cover, cancellation is similar. Always confirm your contract end date before cancelling to avoid unexpected fees.