British Gas
British Gas supplies gas, electricity, and home services (boilers, Hive smart home, EV charging, heat pumps, solar) to approximately 9 million UK residential customers, operating as a subsidiary of Centrica.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1812
- HeadquartersWindsor, United Kingdom
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What British Gas does
British Gas is a UK energy and home services provider, legally British Gas Trading Limited, operating as a wholly owned subsidiary of London-listed Centrica. Founded in 1812, the company supplies gas and electricity to approximately 9 million UK households through standard variable and fixed tariffs, with pricing anchored to Ofgem's price cap. Beyond commodity supply, British Gas operates a nationwide field engineer network delivering boiler installation, repair, and maintenance (handling over 1.2 million boiler repairs in the last winter season), landlord compliance services (Gas Safety Certificates, EICRs), and a growing portfolio of decarbonisation products including heat pumps, solar panels and batteries, home insulation, and air conditioning.
The company's technology stack centres on smart meter infrastructure and the Hive connected home platform, which integrates smart thermostats, EV chargers, plugs, lights, and sensors. Hive Power+ links EV charging to off-peak time-of-use tariffs, and partnerships with Toyota Motor Europe, Zaptec, and Samsung extend demand-side response and appliance-level energy management. British Gas earns revenue through subscription-style recurring energy supply tariffs, one-time hardware and installation fees (e.g., boilers, heat pumps, EV chargers), and recurring service contracts for boiler cover and landlord compliance. Distribution operates through direct online and phone channels, comparison sites, a recently resumed door-to-door sales force, and field engineers covering the UK. Centrica has committed multi-billion-pound capital to regulated infrastructure (Sizewell C nuclear stake, Grain LNG acquisition), positioning British Gas within a vertically integrated energy platform.
British Gas firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- British Gas
- Legal name
- British Gas Trading Limited
- Website
- https://britishgas.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1812
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- British Gas supplies gas, electricity, and home services (boilers, Hive smart home, EV charging, heat pumps, solar) to approximately 9 million UK residential customers, operating as a subsidiary of Centrica.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
British Gas industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Residential Energy Supply
- NAICS
- Natural Gas Distribution (22121), Natural Gas Distribution (2212), Steam and Air-Conditioning Supply (22133)
- SIC
- Natural Gas Distribution (4924), Natural Gas Transmisison & Distribution (4923), Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Gas Mains (Distribution Pipelines) (EUAJABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Gas Meter Set, Relocation & Regulator Service Coordination (HSAOAKAG), Parts Supply, Refurbishment & Lifecycle Management for Meters/Regulators (EUAJAKAL)
Keywords
Where British Gas is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Windsor
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
British Gas business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Residential Energy Supply: Supply of gas and electricity to household customers, the core revenue stream generating approximately £163-309 million in operating profits annually
- Boiler Installation and Services: Installation, repair, and maintenance of boilers and heating systems, with summer sale promotions offering up to £300 off new boilers
- Home Energy Efficiency Products: Heat pumps, solar panels, batteries, smart heating systems, EV chargers, insulation, and air conditioning sales and installation
- Smart Home Services: Hive smart home devices and subscription services including smart heating and connected device management
- Landlord Property Services: Gas Safety Certificates, EICRs, boiler cover and compliance services for property landlords
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Fix & Fall Tariff - 2-year price protection with automatic reductions if cap drops |
| Usage-based | Monthly | EV Power Tariff with Power+ - Off-peak EV charging savings |
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Boiler Installation - Summer Sale discount |
| Subscription | Monthly | Smart Meter Installation - Guaranteed compensation for delays |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
British Gas product offering
Product offeringCore offering
British Gas supplies gas and electricity to approximately 9 million UK residential customers via standard variable and fixed tariffs (including the Fix & Fall tariff), and sells and installs home energy equipment such as boilers, smart meters, heat pumps, solar panels and batteries, insulation, air conditioning, and EV chargers. The company also operates the Hive smart home platform and provides landlord compliance services (Gas Safety Certificates, EICRs, boiler cover).
Product overview
British Gas operates as a vertically integrated energy company offering a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offering consists of energy supply (gas and electricity through standard variable and Fix & Fall fixed tariffs), supported by a portfolio of home services including boiler installation, smart meters, heat pumps, solar panels, insulation, and air conditioning. Smart home functionality is delivered through the Hive sub-brand, which provides connected thermostats, EV chargers, and home automation. The EV charging ecosystem combines British Gas tariffs with Hive Power+ and partnerships (Toyota, Zaptec) for smart charging. Landlord services add compliance tools including Gas Safety Certificates and EICRs. The company serves approximately 9 million customers with 7-day support and engineer networks nationwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Hive: Smart home technology brand offering connected thermostats, lights, plugs, sensors, and EV chargers
Products and services
- Fix & Fall Tariff Fixed-rate residential energy tariff that locks gas and electricity prices for two years and automatically lowers the rate if the Ofgem price cap drops, providing price protection for UK households.
- Standard Energy Supply (Gas and Electricity) Traditional residential gas and electricity supply with variable pricing subject to Ofgem price caps, available to UK households as the core supply offering.
- Boiler Installation and Services New boiler installation, repair, and maintenance service for UK households, including a Summer Sale discount of up to £300 and Which? Trusted Trader certified installations.
- Smart Meters Smart meter installation and management for UK households, enabling real-time energy monitoring, automatic meter readings, and access to smarter tariffs.
- Heat Pumps Air source heat pump installation service for home heating, supporting the transition to lower-carbon heating solutions and potentially reducing energy bills.
- Solar Panels and Batteries Solar panel and home battery storage systems for residential customers, enabling on-site renewable generation and energy storage for greater energy independence.
- Hive Smart Heating Hive smart thermostat and heating control system, including sensors, plugs, and lights, enabling remote temperature management, scheduling, and energy efficiency optimisation via the Hive app.
- EV Charging (EV Tariff and Hive Power+ Charger) Electric vehicle home charging tariff and Hive-branded home EV charger installation, offering off-peak charging rates as low as 6.75p/kWh and integration with Hive Power+ smart charging automation.
- Home Health Check Comprehensive home energy assessment service evaluating heating efficiency, insulation, and energy usage to identify savings opportunities for UK households.
- Home Insulation Home insulation installation service covering loft, cavity, and other insulation types to improve home energy efficiency and reduce heating costs.
- Landlord Services Compliance and protection service for UK landlords covering Gas Safety Certificates, Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICRs), and boiler cover to support rental property compliance.
- Air Conditioning Residential air conditioning installation service launched by British Gas to help UK households maintain cool indoor temperatures during heatwaves.
- PeakSave Half-Price Electricity Half-price electricity offer during selected off-peak hours extended through summer, enabling customers to shift usage to renewable-energy-aligned periods and save on electricity costs.
Quantifiable outcome
- 25% savings on EV home charging electricity through Power+
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use British Gas
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
British Gas technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature3 records
British Gas partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- SamsungminorSamsung partnered with British Gas to offer special energy tariffs for owners of eligible Samsung appliances, providing 50% weekend discounts on electricity. Requires smart meter, Samsung Account, and eligible products.
- Toyota Motor EuropecorePartnership to launch Demand Side Response (DSR) solutions from 2026, offering customers smart EV charging that prioritises cheaper off-peak periods and aligns with renewable energy availability. Plans to extend to Vehicle-to-Grid technology.
- Hive InstallersminorHive Installer Club rewards programme for professional installers of smart energy technology. Members earn points for installing Hive thermostats or referring customers to British Gas energy tariffs.
- National GascoreCompleted first 'real life' hydrogen blending trial in UK at Centrica's Brigg Power Station, marking significant step in integrating hydrogen into UK energy infrastructure.
- Barratt RedrowminorPartnership providing homes with integrated energy solutions as part of new housing developments.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
British Gas competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Octopus Energy: UK-based energy supplier and renewable energy retailer serving millions of UK households with innovative time-of-use tariffs, smart home integration, and EV charging. Octopus is British Gas's most aggressive direct challenger in UK residential energy supply, competing on digital UX, tariff innovation, and the Kraken platform.
- EDF Energy: One of the Big Six UK energy suppliers, supplying gas and electricity to UK residential and business customers. EDF is a direct UK energy retail peer to British Gas, with overlapping customer base and similar tariff structures, owned by the French state utility EDF Group.
- Scottish Power: UK subsidiary of Iberdrola, one of the Big Six energy suppliers offering gas, electricity, and increasingly EV charging and renewable energy products to UK households. Direct competitor to British Gas across the UK residential energy market.
- E.ON UK: UK arm of German utility E.ON, supplying gas and electricity to UK residential customers after absorbing npower. E.ON is a direct Big Six peer offering comparable tariffs, smart metering, and home energy services to British Gas.
- SSE Energy Services: One of the Big Six UK energy suppliers with significant residential customer base, dual-fuel tariffs, and growing home services and EV charging offerings. SSE competes directly with British Gas in UK household energy supply, with overlap in green energy and smart home products.
- OVO Energy: UK-based challenger energy supplier serving millions of households with competitive tariffs, EV charging integration, and a focus on renewable energy. OVO is a key direct competitor challenging British Gas's market share with digital-native operations.
Broad incumbents
- Shell Energy UK: UK retail energy arm of global energy major Shell, supplying gas, electricity, and broadband to UK households. Backed by a large diversified energy group, Shell Energy is a broader incumbent peer to British Gas in UK residential supply.
- National Grid: UK-based electricity and gas transmission system operator, owning the high-pressure gas transmission network that supplies the UK distribution networks. While not a direct retail competitor, National Grid is a critical infrastructure peer and partner for British Gas's gas supply operations.
Emerging players
- Utilita: UK challenger energy supplier specializing in prepayment meters and serving budget-conscious households. Utilita competes with British Gas in the value segment, particularly among prepayment meter customers, a customer base that has been central to British Gas's reputational challenges.
- Google Nest: Smart home brand offering connected thermostats and energy management products that compete directly with British Gas's Hive ecosystem. Google Nest is a smart home platform peer, particularly relevant for British Gas's energy efficiency and home automation value proposition.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
British Gas social profiles
Digital presenceBritish Gas compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
British Gas financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
British Gas leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
British Gas subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
British Gas funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
British Gas M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A6 records
Investments6 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about British Gas
What does British Gas do?
British Gas supplies gas and electricity to approximately 9 million UK residential customers via standard variable and fixed tariffs (including the Fix & Fall tariff), and sells and installs home energy equipment such as boilers, smart meters, heat pumps, solar panels and batteries, insulation, air conditioning, and EV chargers. The company also operates the Hive smart home platform and provides landlord compliance services (Gas Safety Certificates, EICRs, boiler cover).
Is British Gas a public or private company?
British Gas is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was British Gas founded?
British Gas was founded in 1812. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is British Gas based?
British Gas is headquartered in Windsor, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does British Gas make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Residential Energy Supply is the primary driver. The others are boiler Installation and Services, home Energy Efficiency Products, smart Home Services and landlord Property Services.
Who are British Gas's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Octopus Energy, EDF Energy, Scottish Power, E.ON UK, SSE Energy Services and OVO Energy. Broad incumbents are Shell Energy UK and National Grid. Emerging players are Utilita and Google Nest.
Does British Gas have an API?
No public API is recorded for British Gas.
What industry is British Gas in?
British Gas's product category is Residential Energy Supply. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAJABAA, Gas Mains (Distribution Pipelines), with a secondary code of HSAOAKAG, Gas Meter Set, Relocation & Regulator Service Coordination. Its NAICS code is 22121 and its SIC code is 4924.