Headline numbers
British Gas and EDF Energy are two of the longest-standing names in the UK Big Six. As of Q1 2026:
- British Gas remains the UK's largest gas supplier and holds approximately 20% of the electricity market. It is owned by Centrica plc.
- EDF Energy holds roughly 12% of the UK domestic market and is the UK arm of Électricité de France SA. It operates several UK nuclear power stations and is heavily involved in nuclear new-build (Hinkley Point C, Sizewell C).
Domestic tariff comparison
On default standard variable tariffs, both suppliers are now capped by Ofgem at the same level — which means there is no headline price difference for cap-tariff customers. The differences emerge on fixed tariffs, which are not capped.
| Tariff | Type | Indicative annual cost (typical use) |
|---|---|---|
| British Gas Standard Variable | Capped variable | ~£1,641 / yr |
| British Gas Fixed for 12 (Apr 2026) | 12-month fixed | ~£1,610 / yr |
| EDF Energy Standard Variable | Capped variable | ~£1,641 / yr |
| EDF Essentials Fixed Apr-26 v3 | 14-month fixed | ~£1,572 / yr |
Indicative figures based on a typical UK direct-debit dual-fuel household. Regional variation applies. Tariffs change frequently — confirm before signing.
Who wins on domestic?
For Q2 2026, EDF's mid-length fixed product has consistently scored a few percentage points cheaper than British Gas's equivalent, particularly in the South-East and London. British Gas tends to lead on bundled offers — packaged with HomeCare boiler insurance, for example — which can change the calculation if you need that anyway.
Business comparison
The business picture is different — and very price-cap-irrelevant.
British Gas Business remains a major SME and corporate supplier. Strengths: robust customer service, well-developed multi-site portal, dedicated account management above ~£25k/yr spend. Weaknesses: rarely the cheapest in a tender, especially for small businesses on standard products.
EDF Energy tends to be more competitive on business pricing — particularly on fixed contracts of 24 months and longer — and offers bespoke green procurement (REGO-backed and PPA-linked) for ESG-mandated buyers. Their account management for very small SMEs is thinner than British Gas, which matters if you want a named contact.
Customer service
Both suppliers sit mid-pack on independent customer-satisfaction surveys. For 2025/2026 reporting:
- British Gas: ~3.5 / 5 average across major review platforms; complaint resolution within 8 weeks averages around 85%.
- EDF Energy: ~3.7 / 5 average; faster average call answer times but lower digital self-service maturity.
Neither is in the top tier of UK customer service — Octopus Energy and So Energy regularly outperform both.
Verdict
For a price-only domestic switch in mid-2026, EDF's fixed deals tend to come out marginally cheaper. For a business that values dedicated account management and is happy to pay slightly more for it, British Gas Business remains a solid choice — but tender it against the open market before assuming so.
If you want a like-for-like comparison sized to your usage and region, send us a recent bill and we'll run it across both suppliers, plus the rest of the open market, free of charge inside 48 hours.