Satisfaction with energy firms drops for first time since 2011

Overall satisfaction with energy suppliers has fallen by 2.5 per cent – the first drop since 2011 –  according to the latest figures from uSwitch.

But despite this, smaller energy suppliers achieved some of the highest scores ever recorded in the annual Energy Customer Satisfaction report, which is now its 12^th year.

Challenger supplier Octopus Energy was included in the report for the first time and ranked first for customer satisfaction with a score of 95.6 per cent. The company was also named supplier of the year.

It was followed by Bulb (91.6 per cent) and Utility Warehouse (89.8 per cent), with a total of seven new entrants all featuring in the top ten.

Meanwhile the big six energy suppliers all ranked in the bottom half of the table with Npower occupying the bottom spot for the 10^th consecutive year, despite seeing the biggest improvements in customer service and billing services.

Claire Osborne, energy expert at uSwitch.com, said: “Consumers are clearly impressed with what’s on offer from challenger brands as an alternative to the larger and more established suppliers, demonstrating the level of competition and choice we see in the energy market.”

She highlighted the survey followed a year of price hikes to “poor-value standard variable tariffs (SVTs), and said it sends a “strong message” to the more established players that customers will look elsewhere “if they don’t feel they are being treated properly.”

The figures follow Ofgem’s revelation towards the end of last year that more than half of customers, with the 10 largest suppliers, were still on SVTs. The regulator said customers were likely to be paying around £300 a year more than they would on the cheapest deals.

The individual satisfaction score for all previously included suppliers decreased since last year, with the exception of Scottish Power, which had an overall score of almost 71 per cent. It was named large supplier of the year, a title held by Eon for the past five years.

Colin McNeill, head of retail at Scottish Power, said the company will be launching a range of new products and partnerships this year to continue improving services for customers.

Chris Thewlis, customer services director at Npower, said: “It’s disappointing as we’re currently receiving the second lowest number of complaints per 100,000 customers out of the big six – and we’ve reduced complaints by 75 per cent in the last 4 years.”

The annual customer satisfaction report, surveys more than 17,000 energy customers. This year was the largest survey of its kind.