Suppliers are winning back consumer confidence after the energy crisis, with overall customer satisfaction up 10% since last year
But there is still work to be done, as household satisfaction for value for money from their provider is still 17% lower than before the energy crisis
Consumers increasingly keep on top of their bills on mobile apps, with almost 60% of users happy with their provider’s app
Utility Warehouse scoops two awards this year for Best Customer Service and Value for Money, while Octopus Energy takes the ‘Overall Customer Satisfaction’ accolade
British Gas takes home a special commendation for Best Overall Improvement in the Uswitch Energy Awards 2024, for its improvement in overall satisfaction.
Suppliers are starting to win back consumer confidence after the energy crisis, with overall customer satisfaction up 10% since last year, reveals a survey of 15,030 energy customers by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.
Overall customer satisfaction plunged from almost 77% in 2021 to a low of 60% last year, but has now recovered to nearly 70%, revealed as part of the annual Uswitch Energy Awards.
Two thirds of energy customers (66%) say they would recommend their provider, which is the highest it has been in four years. At the height of the energy crisis in 2023, less than half of customers (47%) would encourage others to use their supplier.
Providers still have a lot of work to do in some areas, however. Only 53% of customers were satisfied with the value for money they got from their energy provider, still 17% lower than the 70% reported before the energy crisis in 2021.
Customer satisfaction scores
| Category | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | Change since pre crisis/2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 70% | 54% | 41% | 53% | -17% |
| Overall customer satisfaction | 77% | 65% | 60% | 70% | -7% |
| Billing service | 75% | 64% | 60% | 69% | -6% |
| Customer service | 63% | 54% | 52% | 59% | -4% |
| Incentives/rewards | 29% | 22% | 24% | 29% | 0% |
| Likely to recommend | 62% | 52% | 47% | 66% | 4% |
| Mobile app | 35% | 32% | 51% | 59% | 24% |
Source: Uswitch
Consumers are increasingly keeping on top of their bills using their mobile phones, and apps like Utrack from Uswitch link with smart meters to show how much power is being used by the hour. Almost 60% of users are happy with their provider’s app – up from the 35% of consumers who felt that way in 2021[3].
The Uswitch Energy Awards, which are now in their 19th year, rank suppliers for categories including overall satisfaction, value for money and customer service.
Uswitch Energy Awards winners
| Category | Winner | Runner-up | Third place |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Customer Service | Utility Warehouse / Score 74.2% | Octopus Energy / Score: 71.1% | Utilita / Score: 57.9% |
| Best Value for Money | Utility Warehouse / Score: 73.5% | Octopus Energy / Score 65.2% | Utilita / Score: 55.1% |
| Overall Customer Satisfaction | Octopus Energy / Score: 83.1% | Utility Warehouse / Score: u82.5% | So Energy / Score: 70.3% |
| (Special Commendation) Best Overall Improvement | British Gas | - | - |
Source: Uswitch
Utility Warehouse scoops two awards for Best Customer Service and Best Value for Money, while Octopus Energy wins the ‘Overall Customer Satisfaction’ accolade. Uswitch has also offered a special commendation to British Gas for the Best Overall Improvement, highlighting the supplier's efforts to improve its ranking in Overall Customer Satisfaction since last year.
Elise Melville, energy expert at Uswitch.com, comments: “Two names stood out this year when we asked households about the best energy suppliers, so it’s great to recognise Utility Warehouse and Octopus Energy for delivering on customer satisfaction, service, and value for money.
“British Gas also deserves recognition for the improvements it has made in overall customer satisfaction, and we’ve seen that customers are noticing the difference.
“The energy crisis has caused huge upheaval for the past few years, with soaring wholesale costs and failing suppliers sending household bills soaring.
“It’s reassuring to see that customers are slowly starting to regain confidence in their energy providers, with overall satisfaction rising again since the crisis.
“As wholesale energy prices fall to levels not seen since summer 2021, we hope that suppliers will continue to offer competitive and innovative tariffs to consumers to help drive household bills down."
Head to Uswitch.com to find out who won in the 2024 Uswitch Energy Awards.
Notes
The Uswitch Energy Awards are given based on an annual customer satisfaction report carried out using a consumer survey of over 15,000 UK adults.
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 15,030 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 21st March and 5th April 2024. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+).
For more information on the Uswitch Energy Awards, and the award methodology, please visit this link.
About Uswitch
Uswitch is one of the UK’s top comparison websites for home services switching, including energy, broadband and mobiles.
More people go to Uswitch to switch their energy, broadband and mobile than any other site, and we have saved consumers over £2.7 billion off their bills since we launched in September 2000.
Free mobile app Utrack also helps households manage their home energy usage and make potential savings.
Uswitch is part of RVU, a group of online brands with a mission to empower consumers to make more confident home services, insurance and financial decisions.
