British Gas Utility Warehouse (August 2026)
Overview
Utility Warehouse is cheaper and scores better with Which?, while British Gas is faster to contact and has a greener fuel mix.
Utility Warehouse offers lower prices and higher Which? customer satisfaction scores, providing the cheapest overall and fixed tariffs in this comparison. Conversely, British Gas records significantly faster response times for both phone and email enquiries.
About British Gas and Utility Warehouse
Who is British Gas?
British Gas is owned by Centrica PLC and is one of the UK's oldest and most recognised energy brands. It remains one of the UK's largest domestic suppliers. A key difference is its range of extra services, such as boiler cover and in-house smart home technology. It also runs a reward scheme called PeakSave, which gives customers half-price electricity on Sundays.
Who are Utility Warehouse?
Utility Warehouse, often called UW, is operated by Telecom Plus PLC and is one of the UK's largest domestic energy suppliers. What sets it apart is its multi-utility model, allowing customers to bundle energy, broadband, mobile phone, and insurance services into one monthly bill. Customers get cheaper energy rates when they bundle services, and the supplier uses a word-of-mouth network of independent partners rather than traditional advertising.
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Tariffs and pricing
Utility Warehouse provides the lowest-priced overall tariff in this comparison. The UW Tracker Saver 4 is a variable tracker costing £1,698 a year; it has no fixed term but includes a £150 exit fee. British Gas offers the Cap Tracker Plus Sep27 v1, a similar variable tracker priced at £1,745 a year. While it also operates without a fixed term, it carries a lower exit fee of £50.
For households seeking to lock in unit rates, Utility Warehouse again supplies the cheaper option. The UW Fixed Saver 93 costs £1,806 a year over an 11-month term, subject to a £150 exit fee. In comparison, the lowest-priced fixed deal from British Gas is the Fix and Fall Aug28 v2. This tariff costs £1,834 a year for a longer 24-month term and applies an identical £150 exit fee.
Tariff Options
British Gas tariffs
British Gas offers a range of energy plans, including standard variable and fixed-term options, as well as specialist tariffs for homes with electric vehicles, heat pumps, and solar technology.
Utility Warehouse tariffs
Utility Warehouse provides standard variable and fixed-term energy plans, alongside tracker options and specialist tariffs for electric vehicle owners and prepayment customers.
Customer reviews
British Gas holds a slightly higher Trustpilot score of 4.4 out of 5, drawn from a substantial 350,018 reviews. Utility Warehouse scores 4.2 out of 5 across 81,260 reviews. A closer look at the rating distributions shows that 70% of Utility Warehouse reviews award five stars, compared with 65% for British Gas. Furthermore, British Gas receives a higher proportion of one-star ratings at 20%, whereas Utility Warehouse records 14%.
Reviewers of British Gas frequently note polite staff and efficient problem resolution, alongside positive feedback regarding the booking process. Utility Warehouse customers regularly mention friendly interactions and the convenience of bundling services to reduce costs, although some report long wait times when seeking assistance. Data indicates that both suppliers typically reply to negative reviews within 24 hours.
In the annual Which? energy survey, Utility Warehouse achieves a higher overall score of 69, compared with 59 for British Gas. When assessed on help for those who need it, Utility Warehouse receives 10 out of 10, while British Gas scores 8 out of 10. Utility Warehouse also records a stronger performance in the smart meters category, scoring 7 out of 10 against 3 out of 10 for British Gas.
App quality and features
Both suppliers provide highly rated iOS applications, each scoring 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store. British Gas has accumulated 13,000 ratings on this platform, while Utility Warehouse has 11,000. On Google Play, Utility Warehouse holds a slight edge at 4.2 out of 5, compared with 4.1 for British Gas. Install figures show broad usage, with British Gas recording over 1 million Android downloads and Utility Warehouse exceeding 500,000.
Recent App Store feedback for British Gas highlights occasional difficulties accessing smart meter usage data and navigating multiple login screens. Conversely, Utility Warehouse users frequently note the app's usefulness for tracking cashback savings, although a recent sample review reported complications when attempting to top up after a house move.
Both companies actively maintain their mobile platforms. Utility Warehouse recently released an update focused on performance improvements and bug fixes. Similarly, British Gas deployed a recent update enabling prepayment customers to check their emergency credit status directly from their devices.
Customer service and support
British Gas achieves a higher score in the latest Citizens Advice ratings, recording 2.61 out of 5 compared with 2.45 for Utility Warehouse. This difference is largely driven by call response times. The average call centre wait time for British Gas is 51 seconds, whereas Utility Warehouse customers wait an average of 7 minutes 16 seconds.
British Gas also demonstrates faster email support, responding to 97.9% of messages within two days. Utility Warehouse achieves this turnaround time for 40.5% of emails. In the Citizens Advice measure, Utility Warehouse records fewer complaints: 38.1 per 10,000 customers versus 68.7 for British Gas.
Both suppliers maintain formal vulnerability commitments registered with Citizens Advice. For phone support, British Gas lines are open from 8am to 6pm on weekdays and 9am to 2pm on Saturdays. Utility Warehouse operates its call centre from 8:30am to 5pm on weekdays and 9am to 4:30pm on Saturdays.
Complaints and performance
Both British Gas and Utility Warehouse have published their complaints data for the fourth quarter of 2025. British Gas received fewer complaints overall, with 1,158 per 100,000 customers compared to 1,815 for Utility Warehouse.
Green Energy Comparison
British Gas
According to Citizens Advice data from early 2026, the British Gas electricity fuel mix is largely nuclear, with some fossil fuel and renewables. The supplier does not currently show any dedicated green tariffs in mainstream comparison data. Its parent company has a target to reach net zero by 2050. It focuses on green technology for the home, selling heat pumps, solar panels, and electric vehicle chargers to help customers lower their carbon footprint.[1]
Utility Warehouse
According to Citizens Advice data from early 2026, the Utility Warehouse electricity fuel mix is largely fossil fuels, with some nuclear and other sources. The supplier does not currently show any dedicated green tariffs in mainstream comparison data. To support the environment, it funds a tree-planting scheme, planting a tree for every new customer who takes all their services. It also supports the Smart Export Guarantee, paying customers for the renewable energy they send to the grid.[2]
Our verdict
| If you care most about | Choose |
|---|---|
| The lowest annual cost on our assumptions | Utility Warehouse |
| Overall customer service | British Gas |
| A well-rated mobile app | Either |
| A greener fuel mix | British Gas |
Utility Warehouse is cheaper and scores better with Which?, while British Gas is faster to contact and has a greener fuel mix.
Utility Warehouse and British Gas present different advantages depending on household priorities. Utility Warehouse supplies the cheaper overall and fixed tariffs in this comparison, alongside a higher score in the annual Which? survey and a greater proportion of five-star ratings on Trustpilot.
Alternatively, British Gas may suit customers who prioritise rapid support. It answers calls in an average of 51 seconds and replies to 97.9% of emails within two days, recording significantly faster contact metrics than Utility Warehouse.
Households focused primarily on price may find Utility Warehouse more suitable, given its lower tariff costs in this comparison. Conversely, those who prioritise fast phone and email contact times may prefer British Gas.
- Fast average call centre wait times
- High two-day email response rate
- Slightly higher Trustpilot score
- Higher tariff prices in this comparison
- Lower overall Which? customer score
- Higher volume of complaints per 10,000 customers
- Lower-priced variable and fixed tariffs
- Higher score in the Which? energy survey
- Fewer complaints per 10,000 customers
- Longer average call centre wait times
- Lower two-day email response rate
- £150 exit fee on its cheapest variable tracker
Frequently asked questions
Which supplier is better overall?
It depends: Utility Warehouse is cheaper and has higher Which? scores, while British Gas is much faster for customer service and has a greener fuel mix.
Who has the cheapest fixed energy deal?
Utility Warehouse offers the cheaper fixed tariff at £1,806 a year for an 11-month term, compared with £1,834 a year for a 24-month term from British Gas.
Does British Gas or Utility Warehouse have better reviews?
British Gas has a slightly higher Trustpilot score, but Utility Warehouse has more five-star ratings and a higher overall Which? score.
Are the British Gas and Utility Warehouse apps any good?
Yes, both score highly. They are tied at 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store, while Utility Warehouse is slightly ahead on Google Play.
Which supplier answers the phone faster?
British Gas answers calls much faster, with an average wait time of 51 seconds, compared with over 7 minutes for Utility Warehouse.
Should I switch to British Gas or Utility Warehouse?
Choose Utility Warehouse if you want lower prices and better survey scores, but go with British Gas if fast call and email response times are your priority.
Do both suppliers charge exit fees?
Yes, both suppliers charge exit fees on their cheapest fixed tariffs. Utility Warehouse also charges a £150 exit fee on its cheapest variable tracker tariff, while the British Gas equivalent carries a £50 fee.
Do British Gas and Utility Warehouse open on weekends?
Both suppliers open their phone lines on Saturdays. British Gas is open from 9am to 2pm, while Utility Warehouse is open from 9am to 4:30pm. Both are closed on Sundays.
What changed this month
This month, British Gas's iOS app updates in last 90 days fell from 3 to 0, British Gas's cheapest tariff term fell from 24 months to 0 months, and Utility Warehouse's cheapest tariff term fell from 12 months to 0 months. There were 26 other data changes this month — see the full changelog below for details.
Data changes this month (39)
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
Utility Warehouse
- Trustpilot reviews79,523 → 81,260
- iOS app days since last update13 → 2
- iOS sampled reviews avg stars2.4 → 2.67
- iOS sampled positive reviews2 → 1
- iOS sampled negative reviews3 → 2
- Play Store rating4.202414 → 4.186519
- Play Store ratings count11,089 → 11,150
- Play Store days since last update14 → 2
- Play Store positive ratings %79.5 → 79.1
- Play Store negative ratings %15.6 → 15.9
- Play Store neutral ratings %4.9 → 5.1
- Play Store net-positive %63.9 → 63.2
- Cheapest variable tariff£1,682.7 → £1,697.5
- Cheapest fixed tariff£1,670.87 → £1,806.26
- Cheapest tariff£1,670.87 → £1,697.5
- Cheapest tariff term12 months → 0 months
- Cheapest fixed tariff term12 months → 11 months
- Shortest fixed term12 months → 11 months
- Longest fixed term12 months → 11 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.