British Gas Scottish Power (August 2026)
Overview
British Gas offers cheaper variable and fixed tariffs, though Scottish Power provides better smartphone apps and a higher Citizens Advice score.
British Gas is the cheaper option across the variable and fixed tariffs shown and has faster average call response times. Scottish Power has higher app ratings and a better Citizens Advice score, so the better choice depends on which factors matter most to you.
About British Gas and Scottish Power
Who is British Gas?
British Gas is one of the UK's oldest and largest domestic energy suppliers. Owned by Centrica, it offers energy alongside home services such as boiler cover and heating repair. It also runs the PeakSave scheme, which gives smart meter customers half-price electricity on Sundays. As well as this, the supplier links with Hive smart home devices to help customers manage their heating and energy use.
Who is Scottish Power?
Scottish Power is one of the UK's largest suppliers and is owned by the Spanish energy group Iberdrola. It offers standard energy tariffs alongside specialist options for electric vehicle owners. A key feature of its product range is its long-running partnership with Cancer Research UK, which it supports through specific named tariffs. It also offers an EV Optimise smart charging add-on to schedule car charging when electricity is cheapest.
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Tariffs and pricing
British Gas provides the lowest-priced overall tariff in this comparison. Its Cap Tracker Plus Sep27 v1 variable deal costs £1,745 a year; while it has no fixed term, it carries a £50 exit fee. In contrast, Scottish Power's most affordable option is its Standard variable tariff at £1,805 a year, which operates without a fixed term or exit fees.
Households preferring to lock in their rates may find British Gas suitable, as its Fix and Fall Aug28 v2 tariff costs £1,834 a year for a 24-month term. However, leaving this deal early incurs a £150 exit fee. Scottish Power's lowest-priced fixed alternative is the Exclusive Help Beat Cancer Fixed Aug 2027 SM2 tariff at £1,990 a year for a 12-month term. This option may appeal to those seeking flexibility, as it features a £0 exit fee.
Tariff options
British Gas tariffs
British Gas offers a range of energy plans, including standard variable rates, fixed-term contracts, and specialist time-of-use options for electric vehicle drivers.
Scottish Power tariffs
Scottish Power provides a mix of standard variable and fixed-term tariffs, alongside specialist options for electric vehicle owners and plans that support charity.
Customer reviews
Both suppliers hold a 4.4 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot. British Gas has a larger volume with 350,018 reviews, compared to 198,589 for Scottish Power. Breaking down the scores, 65% of British Gas reviews are five-star, while Scottish Power sits at 60%. Each supplier also receives a notable share of one-star reviews, with British Gas at 20% and Scottish Power at 19%.
Feedback for British Gas frequently mentions polite staff, efficient repairs, and prompt responses to issues, with common themes centreing on customer service, problem resolution, and billing. Scottish Power customers often highlight helpful staff and an easy switching process. Conversely, some Scottish Power users note concerns regarding high bills and long hold times, with recurring topics covering service, staff, and communications.
In the annual Which? survey, British Gas scores 59 out of 100, placing it slightly ahead of Scottish Power's 56. Both suppliers receive 2 out of 5 for overall customer service and value for money. British Gas scores 5 out of 15 for complaints, compared to 4 out of 15 for Scottish Power. Additionally, British Gas achieves 8 out of 10 for help for those who need it, but receives 0 out of 5 for switching—a category where Scottish Power manages 3 out of 5.
App ratings and features
Scottish Power achieves higher ratings across both major app stores. On Google Play, it holds a 4.7 out of 5 rating from 95,532 reviews, whereas British Gas scores 4.1 from 13,409 reviews. Both suppliers maintain a large user base, recording over 1,000,000 installs each on Android.
This trend continues on Apple devices, where Scottish Power holds a 4.8 out of 5 rating from 86,000 reviews, compared to 4.5 from 13,000 reviews for British Gas. A small recent sample of iOS reviews for British Gas averages 2.0 stars, with users reporting slow performance and frustration regarding smart meter data. A similar recent sample for Scottish Power averages 3.2 stars, reflecting isolated complaints about billing and meter updates, despite its high overall score. Both apps are actively maintained; Scottish Power has released three updates in the last 90 days to improve its energy tracker features.
Customer service and support
Scottish Power ranks higher in the Citizens Advice ratings, scoring 2.94 out of 5 compared to 2.61 for British Gas. However, British Gas answers calls faster, recording an average wait time of 51 seconds, while Scottish Power customers wait an average of 1 minute 16 seconds.
British Gas is slightly more responsive via email, replying to 97.9% of messages within two days, compared to 94.3% for Scottish Power. For social media support, Scottish Power responds in an average of 2 minutes 25 seconds (data for British Gas is not currently available). Both suppliers have formal vulnerability commitments registered with Citizens Advice.
Regarding contact hours, British Gas provides weekend support, operating from 9am to 2pm on Saturdays in addition to its weekday hours of 8am to 6pm. Scottish Power's phone lines are restricted to weekdays between 9am and 5pm.
Complaints and performance
Both suppliers reported their complaints data for the fourth quarter of 2025. British Gas received 1,158 complaints for every 100,000 customers. Scottish Power received 1,458 complaints for every 100,000 customers.
Green energy comparison
British Gas
Based on Citizens Advice data, the British Gas electricity fuel mix is largely nuclear, with some fossil fuel and renewables. Its parent company, Centrica, has set targets to reach net zero carbon emissions. The supplier does not currently offer a dedicated green tariff in mainstream comparison data.[1]
Scottish Power
Based on Citizens Advice data, the Scottish Power electricity fuel mix is largely fossil fuels, with some renewable and nuclear energy. While its parent company Iberdrola and its generation arm ScottishPower Renewables invest in wind farms and renewable energy projects, the domestic supply mix relies heavily on fossil fuels. Scottish Power also offers dedicated green tariffs, including Green Fixed Jul 2027, which includes 100% green electricity.
Our verdict
| If you care most about | Choose |
|---|---|
| The lowest annual cost on our assumptions | British Gas |
| Overall customer service | Scottish Power |
| A well-rated mobile app | Scottish Power |
| A greener fuel mix | British Gas |
British Gas is cheaper on the tariffs shown and has the greener fuel mix, while Scottish Power has stronger app ratings and a higher Citizens Advice score.
British Gas may suit households prioritising cost, as it currently offers lower-priced variable and fixed tariffs. It also provides faster average call centre answering times and the flexibility of Saturday support hours.
Scottish Power could be a suitable alternative for those who prefer managing their energy via a smartphone, given its higher app ratings on both iOS and Android. It also holds a better overall score from Citizens Advice and avoids exit fees on its cheapest tariffs, though its higher unit rates and standing charges make it a more expensive choice overall.
- Lower-priced variable and fixed tariffs
- Faster average call centre wait times
- Customer phone lines open on Saturdays
- Lower Citizens Advice score
- Lower app ratings on iOS and Android
- Exit fees apply to its cheapest variable and fixed deals
- Higher overall Citizens Advice score
- No exit fees on its cheapest variable or fixed tariffs
- Higher app ratings on both platforms
- More expensive fixed and variable deals
- Longer average call centre wait times
- Phone lines are closed at the weekend
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, British Gas or Scottish Power?
British Gas currently offers cheaper prices across both fixed and variable tariffs, alongside faster call wait times. However, Scottish Power holds a higher Citizens Advice score and has much better app ratings.
Does British Gas or Scottish Power have the cheaper fixed tariff?
British Gas has the cheaper fixed deal in this comparison, costing £1,834 a year for a 24-month term. Scottish Power's cheapest fixed tariff costs £1,990 a year for a 12-month term, though it does not charge an exit fee.
Do customers prefer British Gas or Scottish Power?
Both suppliers have a 4.4 out of 5 rating on Trustpilot, though British Gas has a slightly higher share of five-star reviews. British Gas also scores slightly higher in the annual Which? customer satisfaction survey.
Which supplier has the better smartphone app?
Scottish Power has stronger app ratings on both major platforms. It scores 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store and 4.7 on Google Play, whereas British Gas scores 4.5 and 4.1 respectively.
Who answers the phone faster, British Gas or Scottish Power?
British Gas answers calls faster, with an average wait time of 51 seconds. In comparison, Scottish Power customers wait an average of 1 minute 16 seconds to speak to an agent.
Should I switch to British Gas or Scottish Power?
If price is your main priority, British Gas is the better choice as its current tariffs are cheaper. However, if you want penalty-free tariffs and highly rated smartphone apps, Scottish Power may be a better fit despite the higher costs.
Are there exit fees with Scottish Power?
Scottish Power's cheapest variable and fixed tariffs in this comparison do not carry any exit fees, meaning you can leave them without penalty. In contrast, the cheapest British Gas deals carry exit fees of up to £150.
Can I contact British Gas at the weekend?
Yes, British Gas customer support is open on Saturdays from 9am to 2pm. Scottish Power only operates its phone lines on weekdays between 9am and 5pm.
Does Scottish Power have a good Android app?
Yes, the Scottish Power app is very highly rated on Android, scoring 4.7 out of 5 from over 95,000 reviews on Google Play.
What is the Which? score for British Gas?
British Gas scores 59 out of 100 in the latest Which? energy survey, placing it slightly ahead of Scottish Power, which scores 56.
What changed this month
This month, Scottish Power's iOS app updates in last 90 days rose from 1 to 3, Scottish Power's iOS sampled positive reviews rose from 1 to 3, and British Gas's iOS app updates in last 90 days fell from 3 to 0. There were 32 other data changes this month — see the full changelog below for details.
Data changes this month (42)
British Gas
- Trustpilot reviews345,969 → 350,018
- iOS app days since last update9 → 16
- iOS app updates in last 90 days3 → 0
- iOS sampled negative reviews2 → 3
- Play Store rating4.0481653 → 4.0881915
- Play Store ratings count13,077 → 13,409
- Play Store days since last update14 → 9
- Play Store positive ratings %76.2 → 77.4
- Play Store negative ratings %20 → 19.1
- Play Store neutral ratings %3.7 → 3.4
- Play Store net-positive %56.2 → 58.3
- Avg social media response time55 → no longer available
- Cheapest variable tariff£1,804.81 → £1,744.71
- Cheapest fixed tariff£1,702.64 → £1,833.95
- Cheapest tariff£1,702.64 → £1,744.71
- Cheapest tariff exit fee£150 → £50
- Cheapest tariff term24 months → 0 months
- Fixed tariffs available2 → 1
- Variable tariffs available1 → 2
- Shortest fixed term14 months → 24 months
Scottish Power
- Trustpilot reviews192,283 → 198,589
- Trustpilot 4-star %13 → 14
- Trustpilot 1-star %20 → 19
- Trustpilot negative reviews replied %90 → 91
- Trustpilot positive reviews %73 → 74
- Trustpilot negative reviews %23 → 22
- Trustpilot net-positive %50 → 52
- iOS app ratings count85,000 → 86,000
- iOS app days since last update34 → 31
- iOS app updates in last 90 days1 → 3
- iOS sampled reviews avg stars6 → 3.2
- iOS sampled positive reviews1 → 3
- iOS sampled negative reviews0 → 2
- Play Store rating4.7245803 → 4.7281113
- Play Store ratings count94,149 → 95,532
- Play Store days since last update30 → 26
- Play Store positive ratings %94.1 → 94.2
- Play Store negative ratings %4.6 → 4.5
- Play Store net-positive %89.5 → 89.7
- Cheapest fixed tariff£1,775.84 → £1,990.1
- Cheapest tariff£1,775.84 → £1,804.74
- Cheapest tariff term12 months → 0 months
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Written by
Rob Gibbs
Hi, I'm Rob, and I run Energy-Review.co.uk. I initially started this project in 2018 when I was looking to switch energy suppliers and found there wasn't a website that provided simple, data-backed reviews on all the suppliers available. Since then, I have spent a lot of time (too much, some may say!) looking at all publicly available data about each supplier and writing reviews using this information. These reviews are updated as regularly as possible, and any data is backed up by a source where necessary. I have also started writing guides on various energy-related topics, which hopefully you will find useful. If you find any issues, please use our contact form to let us know.