Who Is My Energy Supplier: A Simple Guide For UK Households

Knowing your energy supplier in the UK is essential in many ways. Every household in the UK uses electricity and gas, which different companies and service providers supply. Under normal circumstances, homeowners are generally aware of the name and other details about these service providers; however, they may not be mindful due to various reasons.

Although the name of the service provider is mentioned primarily on the energy bill, homeowners often forget to keep a copy of it. Similarly, in the case of an inherited property, there are usually no documents available that provide details about the electricity or gas provider. The same is the case when someone moves into a new house. Therefore, there are many cases where people lack documentary evidence regarding the details of the service providers. In many other instances, homeowners take it lightly to conserve energy bills and are therefore unaware of who their gas and electricity supplier is. Later on, homeowners often face a challenging time when they need to call service providers for necessary work, especially in the event of an emergency situation.

This blog will guide you through an easy-to-follow process to know who your energy supplier is.

Importance of Knowing Your Energy Supplier

Before exploring how you can find out who is supplying electricity or gas in your home, it is essential to learn why knowing your energy supplier matters:

• First of all, you must realize that there is some agency, company, or service provider that supplies gas and electricity to your home. Hence, you must also be aware of who that supplier is or which agency or company has provided you with the facility of gas and electricity. It is just a matter of knowing everything about your home. 
• The next thing you must realize is that electricity and gas are two separate services, which are supplied by two separate companies. So, it is important for you to know the details about both of these service providers. 
• Every service provided to your home has a certain cost, and you have to pay the monthly bill to the service providers for the continuation of the services. Often, there is a reasonable variation in the cost and monthly bills among different service providers. For choosing the best affordable deal, you might have to switch to a better service provider, which would only be possible if you know your current service provider as well as their competitors. 
• In the event of any emergency situation, which you may come across, especially with gas, you need to call for the assistance of the service provider. That makes it highly important that you have on record their emergency helpline and other contact details. 
• Payment of correctly calculated monthly energy bills is yet another important matter. Most of the service providers have already shifted to automated bill generation, for which you have to submit meter readings, often digitally. 
• If you are a vulnerable person, you might have to register yourself for priority services to claim protection, for which you must know your service provider. 
• Most importantly, there might be various disputes and problems, such as wrong billing or service disruption. In such an event, you would need to contact your service provider. 

So, if you are moving into a new home or have inherited it, get aware of who your energy supplier is. Add this to your to-do list before moving in.

Who is My Energy Supplier?

As said earlier, be clear about the basic fact that two different service providers supply gas and electricity. So, the process of finding them is also different. 

Here is a step-by-step guide on how to find your energy supplier:

• Check Your Energy Bill

The most convenient and instant way to find who is providing gas or electricity to your home is to check your energy bill, sometimes referred to as a statement. Typically, an energy bill must prominently display the name of the supplier, along with your account details. These days, many consumers have opted for direct account debit. In this case, your bank account statement may also show the name of the service provider. So, you can check and confirm it from your bank statement, as well. 

• Check with the Previous Owner

If you have bought it recently and have just moved in, the best option is to ask the previous owner to provide the name and contact details of the gas and electricity provider. Your letting agent can also help you in this case. Preferably, you should ask the letting agent or the previous owner to provide the recent energy bills. 

• Check Your Smart Meter’s In-Home Display (IHD)

Some of the Smart Meters' IHDs also display details about the energy supplier and tariff information. This can also help you find your energy provider.

Next Steps in the Absence of Energy Bills

If you cannot locate your energy bill or are still unable to ascertain who your energy provider is, you need to follow the next steps:

• Find Your Electricity Supplier 

In the absence of an energy bill, you may find your network operator by searching on the Energy Network Association's (ENA) online tool. This will lead you to the DNO (Distribution Network Operator). For this, you just need your postcode. Enter your postcode and you will get the details of the local network operator. Contact them and you will find the name and contact details of your current electricity supplier. 

Another possible way to find out your electricity supplier is to search for your MPAN (Meter Point Administration Number or Electricity Meter ID). Alternatively, you can also get your electricity supply number, which is a unique number for your electricity supply. Knowing this number will also lead you to the name of your electricity supplier.

• Find Your Gas Supplier 

To search for your gas supplier, you first need to find your Meter Point Administration Services (MPAS). You just need to enter your postcode in their online service portal. Alternatively, you can use your Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN), also known as “Gas Meter ID”. This can also be done by entering the gas supply number, which is a unique number that refers to your individual gas supply point.

What to Do Now?

Once you have complete information about your energy supplier, you may be eligible for a few advantages that can go a long way in saving you money on your energy bills. 

• Submit Meter Reading

The most relevant advantage of knowing your energy supplier is the facility of submitting your meter reading to them to get a correct energy bill. If you don't submit your current meter readings, they will continue to send you estimated bills, which are often on the higher side. 

• Consider Changing Your Package 

First, you need to check your current package. Most likely, you may be on a standard variable tariff, which is often somewhat costly. You can check for other cheaper packages and consider changing your current package.

• Consider Changing Your Service Provider

Check for better and competitive service providers. Select the one that suits your requirements by checking and confirming their service standards and costs. If the current provider satisfactorily fulfills your requirements, you may continue with them. However, switching over to a better service provider is always a good option. You can avail this facility at any time. While switching over to a new service provider, you need to consider the following:

1. The performance of your current service provider, especially their cost and monthly energy bills. 
2. Evaluate your actual consumption requirements.
3. Check rates and packages with other service providers.
4. Search for the one who offers a reduced carbon footprint and a green tariff. 
5. Search for a provider who offers a direct debit facility for the payment of monthly energy bills.   

Conclusion

Knowing your energy provider is something you never miss out. The primary energy sources used by most UK households are electricity and gas. The suppliers of both these necessities are typically different, not the same. So, you need to know the names and contact details of both of them. Ideally, every homeowner receives and pays monthly energy bills that show the names of their suppliers. So, it should not be a big issue. However, problems often arise when a homeowner is somewhat careless in retaining copies of energy bills. In other cases, when someone moves into a new house or inherits it, the details of the service providers may be missing.