The best energy suppliers...and the worst... have been revealed for 2023, based on a customer survey.
With energy bills rising, the government providing an energy price guarantee (EPG) and households hoping that energy prices will go down in 2023, the research by Which? reveals how well energy suppliers are looking after customers.
Following the survey, regulator Ofgem has called for energy providers to improve customer help as households struggle to afford their energy bills.
Find out which energy suppliers were rated the best and below-average by Which?, and what energy support your provider is offering customers.
The best energy suppliers for 2023, rated by Which?
Which? surveyed more than 10,000 customers who rated their energy provider based on customer service, plus a Which? assessment score looking at support and information around rising energy costs, complaints performance and how clear the firm's statements are. Here’s how the energy suppliers ranked.
| Company | Total score | Customer score | Which? assessment score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Octopus Energy | 78% | 73% | 82% |
| Utilita | 67% | 59% | 75% |
| Utility Warehouse | 65% | 67% | 64% |
| Co-op Energy | 64% | 56% | 72% |
| Bulb Energy | 63% | 54% | 72% |
| Ovo Energy | 63% | 50% | 76% |
| EDF Energy | 62% | 53% | 71% |
| Boost Energy | 61% | 52% | 71% |
| British Gas | 60% | 52% | 68% |
| Sainsbury's Energy | 59% | 54% | 63% |
Octopus Energy wins Which? energy provider of 2023 for the sixth consecutive year as they top the table for customer score and Which? assessment score.
Which? found that Octopus Energy was the only provider (out of 16) with any five-star ratings from its customers regarding useful information about energy costs. Octopus Energy customers were also satisfied with the easy and quick communication with the provider who answers emails every day, including on weekends.
Utlilta takes the runner-up spot and Utility Warehouse takes third place, but their customer ratings differed hugely from the top spot and they received four-star ratings, but no five stars.
The good news is, Octopus Energy has told The Money Edit they are continuing to take new customers, all you need to do is call them on 0808 164 1088. Utilita has also told us that they are "actively selling again." Note: this might not be the case for other energy providers. Before the energy crisis, it was normal to shop around for the best energy tariff, but now with the EPG in place, there is no competitive pricing in the energy market. As a result, some energy companies are actually turning customers away. It also means that any switch you do is likely to be for the customer service benefits rather than for the price you pay.
If you’re moving house, you might be able to switch providers allowing you to go for a top-rated provider for customer service, like Octopus Energy.
Low scoring energy companies
In the Which? customer survey, Scottish Power took the last spot with the lowest total score of 51%. Shell Energy and SSE scored even lower in the customer survey. Scottish Power received just one star for clarity of communication about the energy market and on most other measures it received two stars.
SSE Energy received one star for three different areas of its services and when it came to customer rating, Scottish Power, Shell Energy and Boost received just one star.
If your energy provider is a low-scoring energy company and you want to switch, top scorers Octopus Energy and Utilita are still taking new customers, so it is worth giving them a call.
What are energy suppliers doing to help in the energy crisis?
It's always worth taking the energy provider's customer satisfaction rating into consideration, but also useful is knowing the support your current provider is offering or what energy help is available.
Some energy providers are rewarding customers who use energy at off-peak hours. Providers taking part in the scheme include British Gas, Ovo Energy, EDF, Octopus Energy, Eon Next, Shell Energy and Utilita. Read more about how you can take part and earn rewards up to £100.
Energy bill hardship funds. You could be eligible for a hardship fund so you should check if your energy supplier is offering them. Read our full list of available energy bill hardship funds available. British Gas Energy Trust offers hardship funds to anyone, you do not need to be a customer.
Call up your supplier and ask them for support. If you really need the support and there isn’t much out there to help, you can call up your supplier and ask them for advice on how to use less energy, whether they can give payment breaks or make you a payment plan.
Get on the priority register. Ofgem says if you fit certain criteria, you can be put on the priority register which means your energy supplier has to offer you an affordable payment plan and if you can’t afford to top up your prepay meter, they can also offer emergency credit. To apply you should contact your energy provider. According to Ofgem, you are eligible if you:
- are recovering from an injury
- have a hearing or sight condition
- have reached your state pension age
- are disabled or have a long-term medical condition
- are pregnant or have young children
- have a mental health condition
- have extra communication needs (for example if you don’t speak or read English well).
- You might still be able to register for other reasons if your situation isn’t listed. For example, if you need short-term support after a stay in hospital.
Find out what other help is available if you can’t pay your energy bill.
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