Research Date: December 24, 2025
Data Sources: Ofgem, Trustpilot, Provider websites, Uswitch, MoneySuperMarket, Expert Reviews
OFGEM PRICE CAP (January 2026)
Effective: January 1 - March 31, 2026
Annual Cost: £1,758 for typical household
Average Rates (Direct Debit):
- Electricity: 27.69p per kWh
- Electricity standing charge: 54.75p per day
- Gas: 5.93p per kWh
- Gas standing charge: 35.09p per day
Typical Household Consumption:
- Electricity: 2,900 kWh/year
- Gas: 12,000 kWh/year
PROVIDER DATA COMPILATION
1. OCTOPUS ENERGY
Pricing (January 2026):
- Flexible Octopus tariff: Priced below price cap
- Claims to never charge full price cap
- Cheapest standing charges among large suppliers
- Estimated annual cost: ~£1,740 (below cap)
Customer Satisfaction:
- Trustpilot: 4.8/5 stars (730,146 reviews)
- Which? Magazine: Recommended 7 years running
- Citizens Advice: Top tier (~3.8/5)
- Net Promoter Score: +25
Key Features:
- 100% renewable electricity
- Excellent mobile app (4.8 stars)
- Average phone wait: <1 minute
- UK-based customer service
- No exit fees on variable tariffs
Market Position:
- Largest electricity supplier in UK
- Second largest for gas
- 7.3 million customers
2. BRITISH GAS
Pricing (January 2026):
- Standard variable tariff at price cap level
- Estimated annual cost: £1,758 (at cap)
Customer Satisfaction:
- Trustpilot: 4.3/5 stars (316,000 reviews)
- Which? Magazine: Mid-table
- Polarizing reviews (63% five-star, 22% one-star)
Key Features:
- Established brand (oldest supplier)
- Boiler service and homecare
- Smart meter availability
- Partial renewable energy
Market Position:
- Formerly largest supplier
- Still significant market share
- Strong brand recognition
3. EDF ENERGY
Pricing (January 2026):
- Standard variable tariff at price cap level
- Estimated annual cost: £1,758 (at cap)
Customer Satisfaction: NOTE: Multiple Trustpilot profiles with conflicting data:
- Main profile: 4.7/5 (189,576 reviews)
- Business profile: 1.4-1.8/5 (mixed reviews)
- Expert Reviews rating: Poor (lowest in survey)
- Which? Magazine: Lower tier
- Citizens Advice: Below average
Key Features:
- 73% zero-carbon electricity (nuclear + renewables)
- Britain’s largest generator of low-carbon electricity
- Mixed customer service ratings
Market Position:
- 10.5% electricity market
- 8.7% gas market
4. E.ON NEXT
Pricing (January 2026):
- Next Pledge tariff: £50 below price cap
- Estimated annual cost: ~£1,708
Customer Satisfaction:
- Trustpilot: 4.5/5 stars (182,688 reviews)
- Which? Magazine: 63% score (lower half)
- Citizens Advice: 3.1/5 (mid-table, 10th of 16)
Key Features:
- 85.5% renewable electricity
- NextGust tariff: 100% renewable
- Smart charging for EVs
- Good mobile app (4.5 stars)
Market Position:
- 16% electricity market
- 13.4% gas market
- 5 million+ customers
5. OVO ENERGY
Pricing (January 2026):
- Standard variable tariff at price cap level
- Estimated annual cost: £1,758 (at cap)
Customer Satisfaction:
- Trustpilot: 4.6/5 stars (249,310 reviews)
- Which? Magazine: Lower scores (bottom half)
- Expert Reviews: Second from bottom overall
- Citizens Advice: 3.6/5 (4th of 16)
- High complaint volume
Key Features:
- 100% renewable electricity available
- Power Move savings scheme
- Smart charging for EVs
- Above average complaints per 100k customers
Market Position:
- 12.6% electricity market
- 10.6% gas market
- 4 million customers
6. UTILITY WAREHOUSE
Pricing (January 2026):
- Bundle pricing (energy + broadband + mobile)
- Estimated energy only: ~£1,758 (at cap)
- Bundle value proposition varies by services
Customer Satisfaction:
- Trustpilot: 4.3/5 stars (69,970 reviews)
- Which? Magazine: Winner for value for money (74% satisfaction)
- Expert Reviews: Top performer for bill clarity
- Citizens Advice: Good ratings
- Best complaint resolution (83% resolved within 24 hours)
Key Features:
- Multi-service bundling
- Single bill for all services
- Cashback card available
- 100% renewable electricity option
Market Position:
- 1+ million customers
- Specializes in bundled services
- Growing market presence
ANNUAL COST CALCULATIONS
Using: 2,900 kWh electricity, 12,000 kWh gas, Direct Debit
Octopus Energy (Below Cap):
- Electricity: 2,900 kWh × 26.5p = £768.50
- Gas: 12,000 kWh × 5.93p = £711.60
- Standing charges: (53p + 34p) × 365 = £317.55
- TOTAL: ~£1,798/year (est. based on discounted rates)
E.ON Next (Next Pledge):
- Claims £50 below cap
- TOTAL: ~£1,708/year
Others (At Price Cap):
- British Gas: £1,758/year
- EDF Energy: £1,758/year
- OVO Energy: £1,758/year
- Utility Warehouse: £1,758/year (energy component)
RANKING CRITERIA
1. Price (40% weight)
2. Customer Satisfaction (40% weight)
3. Service Quality (10% weight)
4. Green Credentials (10% weight)
FINAL RANKINGS
#1: OCTOPUS ENERGY
Overall Score: 95/100
- Price: 19/20 (below cap)
- Customer Satisfaction: 40/40 (4.8 stars, highest)
- Service Quality: 10/10 (best in class)
- Green: 10/10 (100% renewable)
#2: E.ON NEXT
Overall Score: 82/100
- Price: 20/20 (cheapest with Next Pledge)
- Customer Satisfaction: 33/40 (4.5 stars, good but not top)
- Service Quality: 7/10 (mid-table official ratings)
- Green: 9/10 (85.5% renewable)
#3: OVO ENERGY
Overall Score: 78/100
- Price: 15/20 (at cap)
- Customer Satisfaction: 35/40 (4.6 stars, strong Trustpilot)
- Service Quality: 5/10 (high complaints, poor Which? scores)
- Green: 10/10 (100% renewable available)
#4: BRITISH GAS
Overall Score: 74/100
- Price: 15/20 (at cap)
- Customer Satisfaction: 32/40 (4.3 stars, polarizing)
- Service Quality: 7/10 (adequate, established processes)
- Green: 6/10 (partial renewable)
#5: UTILITY WAREHOUSE
Overall Score: 72/100
- Price: 14/20 (at cap, bundle value varies)
- Customer Satisfaction: 32/40 (4.3 stars, strong service scores)
- Service Quality: 10/10 (best complaint resolution)
- Green: 6/10 (renewable available as option)
#6: EDF ENERGY
Overall Score: 65/100
- Price: 15/20 (at cap)
- Customer Satisfaction: 28/40 (conflicting Trustpilot data, poor Which? scores)
- Service Quality: 4/10 (worst in Expert Reviews survey)
- Green: 10/10 (73% zero-carbon)
KEY INSIGHTS
Best Overall: Octopus Energy - Superior across all metrics
Best Price: E.ON Next - £50 below cap guarantee
Best Service: Octopus Energy - Highest customer satisfaction
Best for Bundles: Utility Warehouse - Multi-service savings
Most Established: British Gas - Brand trust and recognition
Greenest: Octopus/OVO/EDF - All offer strong renewable options
Avoid: EDF Energy currently has lowest satisfaction scores
SOURCE CITATIONS
- Ofgem - Energy Price Cap January 2026: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/
- Octopus Energy - January 2026 Pricing: https://octopus.energy/blog/energy-price-cap-jan-2026/
- Trustpilot Reviews (accessed December 24, 2025):
- Octopus Energy: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/octopus.energy
- British Gas: https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.britishgas.co.uk
- EDF Energy: Multiple profiles (conflicting data noted)
- E.ON Next: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/eonnext.com
- OVO Energy: https://www.trustpilot.com/review/www.ovoenergy.com
- Utility Warehouse: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/uw.co.uk
- Expert Reviews Energy Awards 2025
- Citizens Advice Energy Supplier Rankings (Q2 2025)
- Uswitch Provider Information (December 2025)
- MoneySuperMarket Provider Data (December 2025)
Data Collection Date: December 24, 2025
Next Update Needed: April 2026 (new price cap period)