What do the latest energy complaints figures actually show?
They show things are getting better, broadly. Ofgem’s own data puts overall customer satisfaction with energy suppliers at 81%, roughly in line with the year before, and satisfaction with customer service specifically at an all time high, around 77%.
Domestic energy complaints have been falling too, and are now at their lowest level since 2022. That’s the headline. The detail underneath it is more interesting, and more useful if you’re deciding whether to switch.
None of this is Switcheroo’s opinion. It’s Ofgem’s own published complaints and satisfaction data, which any supplier is required to report and which Ofgem makes public specifically so households can check before they commit to a deal.
Why did energy complaints rise for some suppliers while falling overall?
Because the average hides a split. Ofgem’s most recent quarterly figures show complaints per 100,000 customer accounts fell for smaller suppliers, down around 27% year on year, while complaints for medium sized suppliers actually rose, up around 38% over the same period.
That’s not necessarily a sign a medium supplier is doing something wrong. It can just as easily reflect rapid customer growth outpacing the size of a call centre, or a one off billing system issue working through the numbers. What it does mean is that “energy complaints are falling” isn’t equally true for every supplier, even in a year where the overall trend is genuinely positive.
How can you check energy complaints data for your own supplier?
Ofgem publishes supplier level complaints and satisfaction data on its own customer service data portal, broken down by company and updated regularly. It takes a couple of minutes to look up your own supplier, or one you’re considering switching to.
This is worth doing before a switch, not after. A cheap tariff from a supplier with a rising complaints trend can still turn out fine, plenty do, but it’s better to know that going in than to discover it the first time you need to query a bill.
Our guide to making an energy ombudsman complaint covers what to do if things do go wrong, including the timeline Ofgem requires suppliers to stick to before you can escalate.
It’s also worth reading a few lines of context alongside the raw energy complaints number, not just the figure itself. A supplier with a million accounts and a supplier with fifty thousand will naturally produce very different complaint volumes even at an identical rate per customer, which is exactly why Ofgem reports the figures per 100,000 accounts rather than as raw totals.
Does a rise in energy complaints mean you should switch away?
Not automatically, no. A short term spike often clears up within a quarter or two, and switching purely on one data point can mean chasing a moving target. What’s more useful is looking at the trend over a few reporting periods, not a single snapshot.
If your own experience already matches what the data suggests, slow responses, unresolved billing queries, a complaint that’s gone nowhere, that’s a much stronger reason to move than the league table alone. Data backs up a decision; it shouldn’t be the only thing making it.
If you do decide to move, our energy comparison tool lets you weigh price against everything else, rather than picking on cost alone.
Why do energy complaints usually rise going into winter?
Higher usage means more bills, more meter readings, and more chances for something to go wrong with a direct debit or an estimated reading. It’s not unique to any one supplier; call volumes across the whole market tend to climb from October through to February.
That seasonal pattern is worth bearing in mind when you look at energy complaints figures. A supplier’s numbers from a winter quarter aren’t directly comparable to a quieter summer one, which is another reason a single snapshot is less useful than a trend over a full year.
It’s also a good moment to make sure your own account details are in order before demand on customer service teams picks up. Checking your direct debit is set at a sensible level, and that your address and payment details are current, takes a few minutes now and avoids being one of the calls stuck in a winter queue later.
Key takeaways
- Ofgem’s data shows overall energy supplier satisfaction at 81% and domestic complaints at their lowest since 2022.
- Complaints per 100,000 accounts fell around 27% year on year for smaller suppliers, but rose around 38% for medium sized ones.
- Ofgem publishes supplier level complaints data publicly, so you can check a specific company before switching.
- A single quarter’s spike in energy complaints isn’t automatically a reason to switch; the trend over time matters more.
- Your own experience with a supplier is a stronger signal than league table position alone.
Frequently asked questions about energy complaints data
- Where does UK energy complaints data come from?
- Suppliers are required to report complaints figures to Ofgem, which publishes them on its customer service data portal.
- How often is the energy complaints data updated?
- Ofgem publishes updated figures on a regular quarterly basis, alongside a wider satisfaction survey roughly twice a year.
- Do fewer complaints always mean better service?
- Generally yes, but a single quarter can be skewed by rapid growth or a one off issue, so the trend over several periods is more reliable than one snapshot.
- Can I see complaints data for my specific supplier?
- Yes. Ofgem’s customer service data portal breaks figures down by individual company, not just by market segment.
- Is a high complaints figure a reason to switch immediately?
- Not on its own. It’s worth weighing alongside your own experience and the overall deal on offer, not treated as the only factor.
Roo’s advice is refreshingly boring: check the actual data before you switch, not just the price on the homepage.
