What British Gas tariffs can you choose from?
British Gas tariffs come in a few families, and the names sound fancier than the ideas behind them. On the energy page we read on 4 November 2026, British Gas lists fixed, Fix and Fall, tracker, standard variable, smart and prepayment options.
If you have never picked a plan, you may well be on the standard variable one. That is the Do-Nothing Default at work, and suppliers quietly count on it. Here is what each of the main British Gas tariffs does, in plain English.
- Fixed: the unit price you pay is locked for a set period.
- Fix and Fall: a two year fix that British Gas says will drop if prices drop.
- Tracker: prices follow the Ofgem price cap.
- Standard variable: not fixed, so prices can go up or down.
- Smart and prepayment: plans built around a smart meter or a prepayment meter.
Key takeaways
- British Gas tariffs are a mix of fixed, tracker and variable plans, so the right one depends on how much price certainty you want.
- Check what each plan is measured against, how long it lasts and whether leaving early costs anything.
- Treat any forecast on a supplier’s own sales page as that supplier’s view, not a settled fact.
- A quote from one supplier only tells you about that supplier, so compare the wider market before you decide.
How do fixed British Gas tariffs work?
A fixed plan locks the price you pay per unit of gas and electricity for the length of the deal. Your bill still moves with how much energy you use, and the daily standing charge is part of the price, so a fixed plan is not a fixed bill.
The appeal is certainty if prices rise. The catch is that if prices fall, you could be paying more than the market, and some fixed deals charge a fee to leave early. Check the exit terms in the tariff information before you sign up. That goes for fixed British Gas tariffs and for every other supplier’s.
The newer Fix and Fall plan is British Gas’s answer to that worry. The company describes it as a two year fix with protection if prices rise and savings if they fall. How the fall works, and what triggers it, sits in the tariff terms, so read those rather than the headline.
What is the British Gas tracker tariff?
The tracker tariff follows the Ofgem price cap. British Gas says on its own page that prices track the cap and that you are “guaranteed to pay up to £50 less”. That is British Gas’s claim about its own plan, and the “up to” matters: the page gives no basis for the £50 figure, and the real gap depends on how the saving is measured and on how much energy you use.
It helps to know what the cap is. Ofgem sets a limit on the unit rates and standing charges suppliers can charge on standard variable plans. On 26 August 2026 Ofgem announced a 4% rise in the cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026, taking it to £1,723 a year for an average household using both electricity and gas. The cap limits the rates, not your total bill, so a household using more than average pays more than £1,723.
A tracker moves when the cap moves. So the British Gas tracker tariff suits someone happy to ride the cap, rather than lock in. If you want certainty, a fixed plan is the other route.
Standard variable and smart British Gas tariffs: what to know
Standard variable is the plan you land on if you never choose another. British Gas says the prices are not fixed and can go up or down depending on what is happening in the energy market. In practice it is the plan the Ofgem price cap applies to.
Smart plans are built around a smart meter, because they charge different rates at different times of day. British Gas’s small print gives one example: a 50% discount on the tariff unit rate for electricity used between 12am and 5am each day, with the full daily standing charge still payable. That suits someone who can move usage overnight, for instance by charging an electric car or running the dishwasher late.
Our time of use tariff guide explains who these plans suit. If you use a prepayment meter, our prepayment meter rights guide covers what you are entitled to.
Should you fix with British Gas now?
British Gas’s page says the Ofgem price cap went up on 1 October and that prices are predicted to rise by over 30% in January. Read that carefully. It is an unattributed prediction on a page whose purpose is to sell you a fixed deal, and a 30% jump would be far larger than the independent forecasts we have seen. Our January price cap post covers Cornwall Insight’s forecast of around 16%. Ofgem had not announced the January to March cap when we checked on 4 November 2026, and it sets the cap quarterly, in January, April, July and October. The British Gas energy page was what we read.
None of that means fixing is wrong. It means the case for fixing should not rest on one supplier’s number. Whether to fix is a question about you, not about one supplier. Ask four things: how long is the fix, what does leaving early cost, what happens when it ends, and how does the unit rate compare with the rest of the market? Fix and forget is how people drift back onto a standard plan.
Our two year tariff guide covers the trade offs of a long fix, and the best energy tariff guide shows how to judge a deal.
British Gas tariffs may well be the right fit for you. They are one option among many, and a comparison is how you find out. Doing nothing has a price, and comparing takes a few minutes.
Frequently asked questions about British Gas tariffs
- Are British Gas tariffs fixed or variable?
- Both. British Gas lists fixed, Fix and Fall and tracker plans alongside a standard variable plan.
- Does British Gas charge a fee to leave a fixed tariff early?
- It depends on the plan. Exit fees, where they apply, are set out in the tariff terms, so check them before you sign up.
- Is the British Gas tracker really £50 cheaper than the price cap?
- That is British Gas’s own claim about its own plan, and it says “up to £50 less” without giving the basis for the figure. Treat it as a maximum rather than an expected saving.
- Do I need a smart meter for British Gas tariffs?
- Some plans need one because they charge different rates at different times of day. Check the details of the plan you want to see whether it does.
- How long does it take to switch to British Gas?
- British Gas says switching usually takes 3 to 5 days, and that it speaks to your current supplier for you.
Sources
- British Gas, Energy tariffs supports the list of tariff families, the Fix and Fall description, the “guaranteed to pay up to £50 less” tracker claim, the over 30% January prediction, the 50% off peak discount between 12am and 5am, and the 3 to 5 day switching time. These are British Gas’s own statements on its own sales page.
- Ofgem, Energy price cap will rise by 4% from October 2026, published 26 August 2026, supports the 4% rise, the 1 October to 31 December 2026 period and the £1,723 figure.
Checked 4 November 2026.
