Compare our best deals on gas and electricity tariffs

How long does it take to switch energy supplier?

Typically it takes 3-5 days. And if that sounds a bit sudden, remember you'll have a 14-day cooling-off period where you can cancel your switch without paying any fees if you change your mind.

Can I switch supplier if I have a smart meter?

Absolutely. It doesn't matter which supplier fitted them for you. Smart meters don't stop you from switching.

You may just have to send us meter readings yourself for a bit while we get everything connected.

What information do I need to get an energy quote or switch suppliers?

Having a recent electricity and/or gas bill to hand is definitely helpful. It'll tell you how much energy you use. We'll use this to give you a more accurate quote. But if you don't have one handy, we can still give you a really good estimate based on the type of home you live in and how many people you live with. So all we really need to know is:

• Your postcode
• Your house number or name
• Whether you want a quote for electricity, gas, or both

Can I switch energy supplier if I rent?

If you pay your energy supplier directly, then you're free to switch whenever you like. But if your landlord pays your supplier for the energy you use, then you'll need to talk to them about switching.

If in doubt, check your tenancy agreement. It should say somewhere who's responsible for paying for energy.

Why do some energy tariffs require smart meters?

As you probably know if you have traditional meters, energy suppliers ask you to send your readings over every month or so. Smart meters send your readings automatically, and that can be as often as every half an hour.

These quickfire readings help us understand how much energy you're using at any given time. And it's that extra level of detail that allows us to offer special smart tariffs.

Take our Electric Driver tariff, for example, where you get much cheaper electricity than normal from 12am-5am (so you can charge your electric vehicle overnight for less). Your smart electricity meter lets us see how much electricity you're using in those early hours. So you only pay the cheaper off-peak price for it.

Smart meters also allow us to find other clever ways to help people save money. Electricity customers with smart meters can join PeakSave to get half-price electricity on Sunday afternoons, for instance. Another advantage to getting smart meters.

How do I get British Gas to supply energy in my new home?

If you're already with us, we'll take care of that for you. We'll simply move your energy account to your new address. Check out our moving home page to see how it works.

If you've moved into somewhere that's supplied by us, welcome. Let's get you set up with a new energy account.

What does dual fuel mean?

That's just another way of saying gas and electricity. So a dual fuel tariff means you'll be getting both of those 'fuels' from the same supplier, on the same contract. Most people find that it's just more convenient that way, with one supplier, one contract, and one online account to remember the password for. We've got more about how they work and our best dual fuel tariffs online.

What's a prepayment or PAYG meter?

A prepayment meter (sometimes called a Pay As You Go, or PAYG meter) works in a similar way to a pay-as-you-go phone. You pay for your energy in advance by topping up your meter with credit. Then as you use gas or electricity at home, the credit gets used up.

In case you were wondering, you can still switch suppliers if you have a prepayment meter. You can check out our prepayment tariffs by getting an energy quote online.

And if you're already with us, we've got a handy guide that explains how to use your British Gas prepayment meter.

How do I find out who supplies my gas and electricity?

If you're not sure who supplies your energy, there's a great online tool that can tell you. You just have to plug in your address. And if you need any more help tracking down your supplier, we've got just the guide for you.