The worst energy companies have been named and shamed in an annual survey carried out by consumer champion Which?
Only Octopus Energy won a five star rating, and a 78% overall rating, with nine out of 10 customers saying they would recommend the supplier. At the other end of the scale, Scottish Power scored only 51% based on customer feedback and an assessment by the consumer champion.
The results were revealed as campaigners call on firms to do more to protect struggling customers, as Citizens Advice revealed three million people on prepayment meters were cut off last year because they couldn't afford to top up.
Read more: British Gas to give £250 energy credit to thousands of customers
Pay-as-you-go specialist Utilita came in second place with a total score of 67%, while Utility Warehouse was third with acombined rating of 65%.
Which? surveyed 10,197 households in October 2022 and the average customer score was 54% this year, compared to 2022 at 59% and January 2021 at 64%, reflecting the issues households are reporting to their energy supplier as the cost to heat their homes increased throughout last year.
British Gas, which supplies around 11.6m homes and is the UK's biggest power supplier, came in at ninth place in the survey with a combined score of 58%. EDF Energy was the highest scorer in the so-called big six suppliers at seventh place, with a combined score of 62%.
The consumer champion carried out it assessment of suppliers' practices and procedures in three areas - customer service, complaints handling and how they support customers in need, combining customer feedback and its own assessments to create a combined score.
The full list is:
-
Octopus Energy (78%)
Customer score 73%
Which? score 82% -
Utilita (67%)
Customer score 59%
Which? score 75% -
Utility Warehouse (65%)
Customer score 67%
Which? score 64%
Co-op Energy (64%)
Customer score 56%
Which? score 72%
-
Bulb (63%)
Customer score 54%
Which? score 72% -
Ovo Energy (63%)
Customer score 50%
Which? score 76% -
EDF Energy (62%)
Customer score 53%
Which? score 71% -
Boost (61%)
Customer score 52%
Which? score 71% -
British Gas (60%)
Customer score 52%
Which? score 68% -
Sainsbury's Energy (59%)
Customer score 54%
Which? score 63% -
Shell Energy (58%)
Customer score 48%
Which? score 68% -
So Energy (58%)
Customer score 57%
Which? score 60% -
SSE Energy (58%)
Customer score 46%
Which? score 69% -
E.on Next (57%)
Customer score 51%
Which? score 63% -
Scottish Power (59%)
Customer score 49%
Which? score 51%
The following energy suppliers received too few responses to form a score: M&S Energy, Outfox the Market, Good Energy and Ecotricity. One company, E, did not return the supplier questionnaire.
Which? recently launched a cost of living campaign calling on essential businesses - including energy firms - to do more to support their customers.
Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy, said: “While customers are choosing to stay put due to a lack of deals in the energy market, our research has found that some firms are falling far short of meeting their customers' needs during the cost of living crisis. “Providers must make it as easy as possible for customers to get in touch and seek support when they need it - or customers will vote with their feet and switch away when this becomes an option.”
Now read:
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-
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