Energy companies are closing at unprecedented rates. So far, more than two million customers have been affected since the beginning of September 2021.
Some of the companies that have ceased trading have blamed rising wholesale prices, especially for gas.
There are rumours that more energy suppliers could be in trouble. Ofgem’s chief executive Jonathan Brearley has said that ‘well above’ hundreds of thousands of customers may well be affected.
Ofgem said ‘there has been an unprecedented increase in global gas prices, which is putting financial pressure’ on suppliers. The energy regulator is working closely with government and industry to make sure customers continue to be protected this winter’.
Read on to see which energy suppliers are closing and what’s happening to their customers.
We’re updating this story regularly so check back. It was last updated 3 February 2022.
If you’re worried about your energy supplier, head to our FAQs on rising energy prices and supplier failures.
What to do if your energy company closes
Firstly, don’t panic. Your electricity and gas supplies won’t be cut off. They’ll continue as usual, and you won’t lose any credit you have with your supplier.
When you first find out that your energy supplier has stopped trading:
You’ll need the meter reading for your new supplier to make sure you’re billed accurately. It’s also worth downloading bills and statements from your online account so you have a record if you need it.
Energy regulator Ofgem advises that you don’t switch supplier so that the transfer to a new supplier (and giving you back any credit) is as smooth as possible.
Ofgem will then appoint a new supplier. This can take a couple of days. The new supplier will contact you to tell you what will happen next, including your new tariff and payments.
Which energy companies have closed since autumn 2021?
Bulb has also been put into special administration. Find out what happened to Bulb and what Bulb customers need to know.
Stopped trading: 1st December 2021
Number of domestic customers: 11,700
New supplier chosen: EDF Energy
EDF Energy will contact you about the changes.
Stopped trading: 25th November 2021
Number of domestic customers: 5,400
New supplier chosen: Scottish Power
Any credit you had with Entice Energy is protected. Scottish Power will add this to your new account (or send you a cheque if you’ve switched away) when Entice Energy’s administrators confirm the amount.
Read more from Scottish Power for Entice Energy customers at https://www.scottishpower.co.uk/solr/entice-energy.
Entice Energy said it made your energy supply cheaper and easier to manage by combining ‘simple tariffs with energy-free customer service’.
Stopped trading: 25th November 2021
Number of domestic customers: 65,000
New supplier chosen: Scottish Power
Scottish Power says there’s no need to contact it if Orbit Energy owed you money. Scottish Power will add this to your new account (or send you a cheque if you’ve switched away) when Orbit Energy’s administrators confirm the amount.
This should be within three months.
If you have a traditional prepayment meter, how you top-up stays the same for the moment. Scottish Power will send you a new device soon.
Read more information for Orbit Energy customers from Scottish Power: https://www.scottishpower.co.uk/solr/orbit-energy.
Orbit Energy promised ‘stress-free’ energy. Shell supplied its electricity and gas which it said meant it could offer ‘secure, competitively priced’ energy.
Stopped trading: 16th November 2021
Number of domestic customers: 30,000
New supplier chosen: British Gas
British Gas will contact customers with more information. It will get in touch by text, email and letter (so do check your email spam folder).
It will take four to six weeks for your account to be fully set up, British Gas says. It’s currently talking to Neon Reef’s administrators about customers’ credit balances and debts.
Read British Gas’ dedicated page for Neon Reef customers.
Neon Reef said it wanted to help protect the environment. It supported Shark Trust and S.H.A.R.E., a husky rescue charity.
Stopped trading: 16th November 2021
Number of domestic customers: 5,500
New supplier chosen: British Gas
Social Energy customers should have accounts set up with British Gas in the next four to six weeks. But British Gas will get in touch to explain how things will work.
It is also in touch with Social Energy Supply to move your details across. British Gas is touch with the administrators about customers’ credit balances (which should be protected) and any debts too.
Read British Gas’ information for Social Energy customers.
Social Energy said it helped homeowners save money with solar panels and battery storage.
Customers who bought energy from Social Energy will be moved to a new supplier.
But if you have solar panels or a home battery and a Social Energy Hub you can continue to use these and earn grid services payments. Your contract for this is with Social Energy Ltd.
However you will need to apply for Smart Export Guarantee Payments (SEG) from another provider. Find out more about the Smart Export Guarantee.
Social Energy says it has emailed customers to explain.
Stopped trading: 2nd November 2021
Number of domestic customers: 600
New supplier chosen: Yu Energy
Yu Energy is a small supplier, which said it had around 20,000 domestic and business customers before taking on Ampower’s. Its website says it also supplies water and EV charge points to businesses.
You should hear from Yu Energy by email ‘shortly’ with more information, including your new account details. In the mean time, take a picture of your meter readings – Yu says it will request them later.
Former Ampower customers will move to Yu Energy’s Protect Domestic Plan, which is limited by Ofgem’s price cap. Yu Energy will confirm your rates in the coming days.
It will honour any credit you had with Ampower and give you an update over the next few weeks about how and when you’ll get it back.
You won’t be able to access your Ampower online account any more. Yu Energy says it will ‘bring you a new online portal soon’.
Yu Energy does not pay the Warm Home Discount.
Read more information from Yu Energy for Ampower customers.
Stopped trading: 2nd November 2021
Number of domestic customers: 6,000
New supplier chosen: Utilita
Omni Energy customers will be put onto Utilita’s Smart Energy tariff. It has no exit fees or standing charge, so you pay for what you use. You can check the rates on Utilita’s website.
You can still top up with your Omni Energy top-up key or card for the moment. Utilita will send you a new top-up card in the post.
Omni Energy supplied customers who PAYG for energy or have prepayment meters. It said it made prepayment ‘simple, saving you time and money’.
Read Utilita’s FAQs for Omni Energy customers.
Stopped trading: 2nd November 2021
Number of domestic customers: 14,800
New supplier chosen: British Gas
British Gas says it will be in touch shortly, but it may take four to six weeks to set up your new account. Send meter readings on Zebra Power’s website to make sure that your final balance (when you move to British Gas) is correct.
It can take two to three months to transfer your credit to your new supplier. Zebra Power’s administrators will be in touch if you’re in debt to Zebra Power, though they’re still talking this through at the moment.
With British Gas, your tariff will be at the level of the price cap. You can choose a new tariff when your account is set up.
See British Gas’ information for Zebra Power customers.
Stopped trading: 1st November 2021
Number of domestic customers: 5,900
New supplier chosen: British Gas
British Gas says it will be in touch in the next few days but it may take four to six weeks to set up your account fully. It recommends that you submit a meter reading via Bluegreen Energy’s website to make sure that your final balance (when you move to British Gas) is correct.
Bluegreen Energy’s administrators will finalise your account. It can take two to three months to transfer any credit you have to your new account, British Gas says.
In the meantime, don’t cancel your direct debit. British Gas will transfer it to them in around six weeks.
Your new tariff will be in line with the price cap.
If you’re in debt to Bluegreen Energy, expect to hear more detail about what will happen in a few weeks.
See British Gas’ information for Bluegreen Energy customers.
Stopped trading: 18th October 2021
Number of domestic customers: 22,000
New supplier chosen: Shell Energy
If you were in credit to Goto Energy it will be protected and automatically moved to Shell Energy.
Your new tariff will be at the rates set by Ofgem’s price cap. It will be a standard variable tariff, with no exit fees, which Shell Energy says is ‘the cheapest we have available, given today’s wholesale costs’. It will contact you with more information in a few weeks.
See Shell Energy’s information for Goto Energy customers.
Stopped trading: 14th October 2021
Number of domestic customers: 9,000 (including both domestic and business customers)
New supplier chosen: Shell Energy
If you were in credit to Daligas it will be protected and automatically moved to Shell Energy.
Your new tariff will be at the rates set by Ofgem’s price cap. It will be a standard variable tariff, with no exit fees, which Shell Energy says is ‘the cheapest we have available, given today’s wholesale costs’. It will contact you with more information in a few weeks.
See Shell Energy’s information for Daligas customers.
Daligas was a gas-only supplier.
Stopped trading: 13th October 2021
Number of domestic customers: 235,000
New supplier chosen: Shell Energy
If you were in credit to Pure Planet, it will be protected and automatically moved to Shell Energy.
Your new tariff will be at the rates set by Ofgem’s price cap. It will be a standard variable tariff, with no exit fees, which Shell Energy says is ‘the cheapest we have available, given today’s wholesale costs’. It will contact you with more information in a few weeks.
See Shell Energy’s information for Pure Planet customers.
Pure Planet said it sold renewable energy for less than power that pollutes. It also claimed it didn’t make a profit on the energy its customers’ used.
When it closed, it said: ‘despite all the good things [we have done], we were being forced to lose money through sky-rocketing global wholesale energy prices clashing with a domestic staid government and regulatory policy — the price cap.
‘Simply, the rules prevented us from covering our costs. We are being forced to sell energy at prices way below the true cost.’
Stopped trading: 13th October 2021
Number of domestic customers: 15,000
New supplier chosen: Shell Energy
Shell Energy will contact you in the coming days. If you are in credit, it will be protected and automatically moved to Shell Energy.
Your new tariff will be at the rates set by Ofgem’s price cap. It will be a standard variable tariff, with no exit fees, which Shell Energy says is ‘the cheapest we have available, given today’s wholesale costs’.
It will contact you with more information in a few weeks.
See Shell Energy’s information for Colorado Energy customers.
Colorado Energy worked with letting agents to provide gas and electricity to tenants. It promised ‘simple, straightforward pricing’ and ‘a fair affordable tariff for all’.
Stopped trading: 29th September 2021
Number of domestic customers: 179,000
New supplier chosen: Eon Next
A statement on Igloo Energy’s website said that it aimed to ‘sell as little energy as possible to our customers…because it’s the right thing to do’. However its ‘core business of energy retail operates in a market that is sadly no longer sustainable for Igloo’.
Eon Next will contact customers in the coming days though you can submit meter readings to it now.
Any credit you had with Igloo Energy will be protected. Eon Next says that it might not appear on your account straightaway but it will contact you ‘in the next few weeks’ to tell you about it.
Its heat pump business, Igloo Works, is still trading. Igloo will shortly contact customers who have installations booked.
See more information for Igloo Energy customers from Eon Next.
Stopped trading: 29th September 2021
Number of domestic customers: 48,000
New supplier chosen: Eon Next
Symbio Energy claimed to be the ‘UK’s lowest-priced electricity supplier’ and offered a price match if you found cheaper energy elsewhere.
Eon Next will contact you in the coming days. It asks that you don’t cancel your direct debit so that it can be transferred to Eon Next.
You will be put onto Eon Next’s cheapest tariff based on average energy consumption and the prices won’t change until 31 March 2022. You can change your supplier or tariff once your account has been moved to Eon Next.
Read more information for Symbio Energy customers from Eon Next.
Stopped trading: 29th September 2021
Number of domestic customers: 6,000
New supplier chosen: Eon Next
Enstroga has stopped trading and Eon Next was appointed as your new supplier by regulator Ofgem.
Eon Next will contact you ‘in the next few weeks’ about how to get back any credit you had with Enstroga. It will also transfer your direct debit (so it asks that you don’t cancel it if you haven’t already).
See more information from Eon Next for Enstroga customers.
Stopped trading: 22nd September 2021
Number of domestic customers: 580,000
New supplier chosen: Octopus Energy
Avro Energy is the biggest supplier to have stopped trading so far. It supplied 2% of the market, according to energy regulator Ofgem.
Octopus Energy says it will contact Avro Energy customers in the next 48 hours (from Sunday evening) to explain what happens next. You will be moved onto Octopus Energy’s Flexible Octopus tariff which costs around £10 less than the price cap.
In 14 days most accounts will have been set-up with Octopus Energy. It asks customers not to cancel their direct debits so it can transfer them. Take a meter reading too.
If you switched away from Avro Energy and owe it money, or are in credit, Octopus Energy says it will contact you within four weeks.
Find out what customers thought of Avro Energy. See Octopus’ information for Avro Energy customers.
Stopped trading: 22nd September 2021
Number of domestic customers: 255,000
New supplier chosen: Shell Energy
Green – not to be confused with GEUK (formerly known as Green Energy UK) – was a tech-focused energy supplier which claimed it made energy simple.
Shell Energy will contact you in the next few days about the changes. Shell asks that customers don’t switch supplier until the transfer is complete.
Find out what customers think of Shell Energy and read Shell Energy’s FAQs for Green customers.
Stopped trading: 14th September 2021
Number of domestic customers: 350,000
New supplier chosen: British Gas
People’s Energy promised tariffs that were among the lowest for households. British Gas will contact new customers next week. Find out what customers think of British Gas.
British Gas says that customers accepted onto the Warm Home Discount for 2020/21 with People’s Energy will be added onto British Gas’s own Warm Home Discount presuming the information was passed onto them. Customers will be able to confirm this when their new account is set up.
Read British Gas’s FAQs for People’s Energy customers.
Stopped trading: 14th September 2021
Number of domestic customers: 220,000
New supplier chosen: EDF Energy
Ofgem says EDF Energy is ‘offering customers a competitive tariff’. If you’re a customer, you’ll find out what this is when EDF Energy contacts you (it’s aiming to do this next week).
EDF has said that former Utility Point customers who are eligible for EDF’s Warm Home Discount ‘support plus’ scheme will be able to apply when their accounts are fully migrated to EDF. There will be a maximum number of applications that it can accept.
Find out what customers think of EDF Energy. EDF Energy has more information for customers from Utility Point.
Stopped trading: 7th September 2021
Number of domestic customers: 9,000
New supplier chosen: British Gas
British Gas has more information for customers from MoneyPlus Energy on its website.
Stopped trading: 7th September 2021
Number of domestic customers: 82,000
New supplier chosen: British Gas
British Gas has more information for customers from PFP Energy on its website.
Stopped trading: 18th January 2022
Number of domestic customers: 176,000
New supplier chosen: British Gas
Customers of Together Energy and Bristol Energy will be contacted about the changes by British Gas shortly.
If customers wish to switch supplier they can do so, but are advised to wait until the transfer from Together Energy or Bristol Energy to British Gas has been completed.
You will not be charged exit fees if you decide to switch to another provider, but it may make it harder to accurately reclaim any credit you have on your account.
Send your meter readings to British Gas to ensure you’re billed accurate, and read its information for Together Energy and Bristol Energy customers.
Which energy suppliers are taking on customers from failed suppliers?
So far, British Gas has gained the most new customers from failed suppliers this autumn and winter:
