The best gas suppliers in the UK 2023

The use of gas is essential for cooking and heating. In fact, 39% of residential buildings use natural gas. Choosing the right supplier is not so obvious, it is above all a question of contract or price per kWh. So you can save time in your search by reading our guide to the best gas suppliers.

Engie 1
9/10

Best value for money

Engie

The best gas supplier in 2021

Engie is known for offering the best quality/price ratio for electricity and gas distribution. It is a very old and popular natural gas supplier in the UK.

101 €/year

It is a large company that operates as an alternative supplier throughout France. Gas is one of Engie's major specialties. Indeed, it ensures several missions, including the transport of natural gas, LNG or Liquefied Natural Gas, storage, distribution of natural gas, biomethane and natural gas fuel as well as the sale of natural gas.

Engie offers several gas deals including Engie's Ajust gas offer, Engie's Confort connecté gas offer, Engie's Mon gaz vert offer, Engie's Energie garantie gas offer. There are also offers that combine electricity and gas such as the Duo référence offer and the Duo énergie offer guaranteed for 2 years and the mon pilotage service. With Engie, you benefit from a fairly stable price and transparent billing.

Butagaz 2
8/10

Best value for money

Butagaz

The best cheap gas supplier in 2021

Here is the cheapest gas offer of the market and it is at Butagaz. Indeed, it is a quality gas supplier which offers a very reactive customer service.

94,31 €/year

Butagaz is one of the most popular alternative natural gas suppliers in the UK. In fact, many households have already chosen it and recommend it. It has been selling butane and propane since 1931. It is distinguished by its experience in the exploitation of gas in cylinders or tanks. Its offer is not limited to that since it also proposes: wood pellets and Zagatub.

It is a company in constant evolution that promises you the best offers according to your needs and at a good price. Butagaz also guarantees the best customer services to accompany the subscribers. Their very competitive price allows you to make a lot of savings. The most, it is an offer respectful of the environment, a commitment taken by Butagaz.

ENI 3
9/10

Best premium value for money

ENI

The market leader in gas supply

ENI is an economical and ecological gas supplier. With a top quality service, ENI is always at the top of the list of the best gas suppliers.

126 €/year
Vattenfall 4
9/10

Green supplier

Vattenfall

The best green gas supplier in 2020

Vanttefall is a great gas supplier in the UK, and everyone recognizes it as the best. It offers two major packages to serve its customers with the utmost care.

113 €/year

Vanttefall is also a well-known gas supplier in the UK. Its notoriety is not to be proven anymore because it is the customers who make their own publicity. This is the guarantee of the quality of their service and their product. Indeed, it offers a 10% reduction compared to conventional rates.

At Vanttefall, you can choose between two natural gas offers including the 36-month fixed gas and the Eco gas. These are offers without commitment. Registration is done in a few minutes by phone or online, and the same goes for cancellation. Vanttefall is very concerned about the environment, it participates strongly in the development of renewable energy.

Buying guide • November 2023

Best gas supplier

Any specific needs?

The best gas supplier in 2021

The best cheap gas supplier in 2021

The market leader in gas supply

The best green gas supplier in 2020

Your guide : Samuel

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Comparison table of the best gas suppliers

TOP OF THE TOP CHEAP TOP OF THE LINE EXCELLENT
Engie 5
9/10
Butagaz 6
8/10
ENI 7
9/10
Vattenfall 8
9/10
OUR SELECTION
Engie
Butagaz
ENI
Vattenfall
Engie is known for offering the best quality/price ratio for electricity and gas distribution. It is a very old and popular natural gas supplier in the UK.
Here is the cheapest gas offer of the market and it is at Butagaz. Indeed, it is a quality gas supplier which offers a very reactive customer service.
ENI is an economical and ecological gas supplier. With a top quality service, ENI is always at the top of the list of the best gas suppliers.
Vanttefall is a great gas supplier in the UK, and everyone recognizes it as the best. It offers two major packages to serve its customers with the utmost care.
Discount to conventional rate
'-
'-10%
Up to -15%
'-10%
Contract type
Without commitment
Without commitment
No commitment
Without commitment
Quality
Subscription
Online
Online
Online
Online, by phone
Customer service
Contact by phone, by mail, online, with the app, on social networks Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
Contact by phone, by email, by chat, by mail
Contact by phone, online, by mail
Contact by phone and online

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Buying guide - gas supplier

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How to choose your gas supplier

Competition is raging in the French gas sector, despite the clear dominance of Engie, formerly GDF/Suez. Indeed, the liberalization of gas in 2007 has allowed the emergence of nearly 40 French and foreign players. Even EDF, the historical electricity supplier, has become a gas supplier. Here are the criteria to remember to find the right supplier.

#1 - The price of gas

Compare the price per kWh of each supplier to find the cheapest for you. Good to know, alternative suppliers such as Total Direct Energie or Vattenfall often offer better prices per kWh than Engie. And compared to large consumers, small consumers pay a higher price for their kWh of gas.

Also look at the subscription price, the fixed part of the bill. Large consumers will be offered the most expensive subscriptions. The tariff zone (ranked from 1 to 6) will also have an impact on the price of the subscription for large consumers. The more their zone tends towards 6, the more the price per kWh increases.

#2 - The proposed contracts

Engie and a few local suppliers are the only ones to offer regulated tariffs, i.e. decided by the State and revised upwards or downwards according to market prices. However, it is no longer possible to subscribe to regulated tariffs since November 2019. And they will cease to exist on June 30, 2023. The indexed tariff is the most common offer on the market.

Very interesting for small consumers, the indexed tariff offers propose prices per kWh always lower than those of Engie. But indexation does not protect your tariff from the rising price of gas, since it remains guided by Engie's regulated tariff.

Fixed-rate offers are the second major category of market offers, i.e. offers other than those with regulated rates. With a fixed-rate offer, the price per kWh remains locked in for the duration of the contract, regardless of fluctuations in Engie's prices. This protects you from price increases, but does not benefit you in case of price decreases.

To repair this injustice, suppliers have come up with fixed-rate offers that can be revised downwards. Prices do not increase if the regulated rates go up. They fall at the same time as the market price. And if the price of gas drops on the anniversary date of your subscription, the supplier revises your rate downwards, up to 7% per year!

#3 - The consumption profile

Your consumption profile will also condition the gas supplier you should subscribe to. To save money, finding the cheapest kWh is not enough. You will have to analyze your needs, your way of consuming and the volume of gas you consume before finding what suits you. According to the offers and tariffs proposed, Engie has identified 4 consumption classes for all gas users:

  • Base (0 to 1,000 kWh/year, cooking),
  • B0 (1,001 to 6,000 kWh/year, cooking and domestic hot water),
  • B1 (6 001 to 30 000 kWh/year, cooking, domestic hot water and heating),
  • B2I (30,000 to 300,000 kWh/year, cooking, domestic hot water and heating).

The more gas you consume, the cheaper your price per kWh will be. On the other hand, large consumers will see the cost of their subscription increase. On the other hand, a small consumer who uses gas for cooking and domestic hot water will pay more per kWh. But he will have a less expensive subscription.

Good to know

In a gas contract, only the supplier is required to respect its commitments. The customer does not have to honor the duration of the contract, even for a 3-year fixed price offer. You can return to the regulated rate or terminate a contract to change supplier as you wish, without penalties or gas cuts.

#4 - Quality of service and guarantees

Find out about the quality of service of a gas supplier on forums and from your friends and family. Pay particular attention to hours, efficiency and responsiveness. For example, Vattenfall is known for its customer service by phone. But the title of best supplier often changes from year to year.

Don't forget to check the guarantees provided by the supplier, especially for the fixed and revisable downward price. Online offers can be very interesting if you are comfortable with the Internet. Indeed, they allow to simplify and accelerate the steps related to the subscription.

Why look for the best gas supplier ?

It is very easy to change supplier.

Cancelling a gas contract is free, instantaneous and automatic. There are no additional costs, no change of installation and no disconnection. The gas you buy from the next supplier remains the same as the previous one. And you can return to your previous supplier without justification, free of charge and without waiting!

In anticipation of a move or the construction of a house.

You don't have to wait until you've finished building your house to choose a gas supplier. In fact, it's a good idea to do it before. Those who are planning to move will also be wise to look for a gas supplier more suited to their future home based on their budget and consumption.

Play the competition.

There are nearly 40 gas suppliers in the UK. To win the bid, they have to compete and propose interesting offers. Make the most of your freedom to change supplier at any time and look for the best offer for you. In fact, many subscribers change their contract every year.

Find the best service for your needs.

Aside from the potential savings, you need to find a gas supplier that offers service that lives up to expectations. To find out how effective a supplier's customer service is, check out consumer reviews about them. Many subscribers are quick to offer their advice on forums.

Dual energy offers

Many suppliers also offer electricity. You can then subscribe to gas and electricity in a single contract. These dual offers have the advantage of costing less than 2 separate gas and electricity offers. Engie, Total Direct Energie, Total Spring and Proxelia offer dual offers for electricity and gas, with fixed, indexed or adjustable rates. As for EDF, it only offers the regulated tariff for electricity, not for gas.

The different types of gas suppliers

Most English people think that the price of energy is only increasing and that green gas is expensive. These 2 statements are false! In reality, the price of gas varies according to the supplier chosen. French or of foreign origin, they are divided into 2 types.

The historical suppliers

This category mainly concerns Engie, ex-GDF/Suez, which holds more than 70% of the gas market in the UK. There are also historical suppliers called ELD or local distribution companies. Despite their local scope, these ELDs are entitled to propose offers at regulated tariffs.

Engie owes its gas monopoly to the regulated tariff. But like all historical suppliers, this state-owned company is also authorized to market gas at market prices. Moreover, with the stop of the regulated tariffs planned for June 30, 2023, the war of the canvassing of customers has already begun.

Alternative suppliers

We call alternative suppliers all those which are neither Engie nor ELD. They propose offers at market rates, whether they are at fixed rate, indexed rate, or fixed rate and revisable downwards. As an example, we can mention Eni, Total Direct Energie, Ilek and Vattenfall among the best known alternative suppliers in the UK.

Market-priced subscriptions are more interesting and more advantageous than Engie's regulated tariff, even if the market share of alternative suppliers remains minimal. In the long run, the energy savings are considerable. Note that EDF, electricity supplier, is also an alternative gas supplier.

The network manager

Regardless of the supplier chosen, each of us uses the same meter and the same gas, distributed by GRDF in 95% of cases. For the remaining 5%, the ELDs are in charge of the distribution. The delivery costs are the same for all gas suppliers. GRDF ensures the same guarantee and the same services at home for all. It also installs the connected meter Gazpar, planned to be installed in all French households connected to the gas network in 2022. Finally, GRDF takes care of the maintenance and modernization of the network.

Fixed price or indexed price?

Fixed price

With the fixed price, you know exactly how much you are paying for the entire duration of the contract. For example, on a 1-year contract, you will spend the winter at the best price without any risk of increase. And to avoid future increases, you can opt for a 3-year contract.

The other interesting aspect of the fixed price is the fixed price contracts that can be revised downwards. In fact, prices do not increase if the regulated tariffs rise and can fall by up to 7% if the regulated tariffs fall.

However, the fixed price opens the way to abuse by some gas suppliers. Indeed, there are fixed price offers that cost more than the regulated tariffs! Suppliers simply insist on the advantage of stabilising your gas bill at a fixed price, not to mention the possible big margins at your expense.

Indexed price

This is without doubt the most common market offer. An indexed price is a price that fluctuates with the price of gas set each month by the state. Thanks to the revision of the formula for calculating the indexed price in 2013, the price of gas has long been moving downwards.

With the indexed price, you always pay less for your gas than with Engie! On the other hand, choosing an offer with an indexed price inevitably puts you at the mercy of sudden price rises, especially during the cold seasons. It is in winter that gas is most expensive and it is also in winter that we consume the most gas for heating.

Despite this, the regulated tariffs may very well experience considerable phases of decline, such as the -10% recorded in 2019. Quite the opposite of electricity, which only increases from year to year.

Verdict

For large and medium-sized consumers, we recommend indexed tariff offers, which offer reductions on the price per kWh. This type of market offer will make you save money as soon as you sign the contract.

Fixed-rate offers are suitable for those who want to control their gas bill over the long term, with a contract lasting several years. Choose a fixed-price subscription if you are staying in your home for more than 2 years.

5 good reasons to switch gas suppliers

1. Dropping a standard rate will save you money

At the end of a fixed term energy deal, you will automatically revert to your gas supplier's standard tariff, which is the most expensive type on the market. If you haven't switched for a while, it's likely that you're paying the standard tariff and you could make a substantial saving by switching from your supplier.

2.your current offer may not be the cheapest.

While you may think you're getting a good deal right now, prices could have changed since you last switched. Use a comparison website to see if you could make immediate savings by signing up to a better value tariff. If you're still within a set time frame, leaving early may result in a penalty, so check all the details before you switch.

3. Lots of competition means good deals

There are currently several gas suppliers. And many of them are fighting for the top spot on the price tables, so there's a lot of competition on price and customer satisfaction.

4. Best customer service

From time to time, you may need to contact your provider - perhaps for a question about the bill or to ask a question about your tariff. You may have had a bad experience with customer service. Therefore, switching to a service with a better customer service ethic could.

5. You can change your mind

If you have made a mistake with a switch, you can still change your mind after all, there is a two week cooling off period in which you can cancel the change. All you have to do is inform the provider that you want to cancel.

Tips

Wait for the right moment to subscribe.

To get the best fixed-rate deals, sign up for your gas contract between spring and early fall. During this period, gas is generally cheaper, since it is less used for heating.

Beware of offers that are too attractive!

An

offer of -10% compared to the regulated rate, or even -18%, is too good to be true. There is no way the total bill can be that much lower. In most of the cases, these broken prices concern only the price net of taxes of the kWh. The subscription will then be charged at the same price as the regulated tariff, or even more expensive. Of course, the suppliers do not mention this in their commercials!

Compare the real prices, if possible with the help of a comparator.

Satisfying yourself with the promises of an operator does not guarantee real savings. It is recommended to compare the real prices on recognized comparators like lelynx.fr or lesfurets.com. Take into account the total bill, taxes and VAT for the comparison.

Consult the GRDF website to better understand your gas bills.

In

France, the quantity of gas consumed is expressed in cubic meters. But on the bills, it is converted into kWh. Going from one unit to the other requires a conversion unit. This coefficient will depend on where you live. To know it and better understand your gas bills, do not hesitate to consult the GRDF website.

Take advantage of grouped purchases.

This

type of offer provides the best prices per kWh. Organizers of group purchases, such as UFC Que Choisir, gather thousands of consumers in order to better negotiate a grouped rate. The strength of numbers will inevitably intensify the competition between suppliers.

FAQ

Which gas supplier should I choose?

The best gas supplier depends on your needs and your budget. Read our buying guide to find out more.

What is the price per kWh of gas?

Unfortunately, there is no single price for kWh of gas in the UK. However, there is a reference rate called the regulated rate in force. The State calculates this every month to adjust it upwards or downwards.

Who are the gas suppliers in the UK?

Engie takes the lion's share, with 7 out of 10 subscribers. Its competitors are Total Direct Energie, Dyneff, ekWateur, Eni, Vattenfall, ilek, etc. Like Engie and some local companies authorised to offer regulated tariffs, market suppliers use the gas distribution network managed by GRDF. They sell contracts to private and professional customers throughout France.

What is green gas?

With the environmental problems and the obligations due to the ecological transition, some gas suppliers have launched into green gas. Biomethane is a gas produced by the degradation of agricultural organic matter. These green gas offers are certified by guarantees of origin. ekWateur and ilek offer 100% biomethane.

What is the difference between a gas supplier and a network operator?

Gas suppliers buy gas from producers and sell it to consumers. Network operators transport the gas to consumers' homes. 95% of gas suppliers use the same distribution network called GRDF. The rest are ELDs that both supply and distribute.

Sources

Note: Below are some of the sources we have consulted in writing this article. Links to other sites are not continuously updated. It is therefore possible that a link may not be found. Please use a search engine to find the desired information.
  1. , quechoisir.org
  2. , quechoisir.org
  3. , 60millions-mag.com
  4. , 60millions-mag.com
  5. , quechoisir.org
  6. , quechoisir.org
  7. , quechoisir.org
  8. , lelynx.fr
  9. , lesfurets.com
  10. , quechoisir.org
  11. , lesfurets.com
  12. , fournisseurs-gaz.com
  13. , lesfurets.com
  14. , electricite.net
  15. , tarifgaz.com
  16. , totalenergies.fr
  17. , selectra.info
  18. , quechoisir.org
  19. , grdf.fr
  20. , hopenergie.com
  21. , jechange.fr
  22. , hellowatt.fr
  23. , netpublic.fr
  24. , comparateur.leparisien.fr
  25. , selectra.info
  26. , hellowatt.fr
  27. , fournisseur-energie.com
  28. , fournisseur-energie.com
  29. , gazdebordeaux.fr
  30. , gaz-tarif-reglemente.fr
  31. , particuliers.engie.fr
  32. , agence-energie.com
  33. , particuliers.engie.fr
  34. , ilek.fr
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Updates

March 2022 : Translation of this buying guide from our partner meilleurtest.fr

See more
Our selection
Engie 9
Engie
Butagaz 10
Butagaz
ENI 11
ENI
Vattenfall 12
Vattenfall

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