What to save? Ready to Switch? Get fair, unbiased information in a language you understand so you make the right choice.
British Gas
British Gas (www.britishgas.co.uk) is a UK-owned company that is part of the Centrica group, who also own Dyno-Rod and the AA. As the UK’s biggest supplier, they provide gas, electricity and home repair services to millions of customers in England, Scotland and Wales.
The standard tariff offers variable pricing; the market tracker tracks changes in the wholesale prices of electricity and gas which are then reflected in the amount that you pay for your energy, and Click Energy 5 is an online tariff which offers you discounts for managing your own account.
British Gas additionally offers Green tariffs, Future Energy and Zero Carbon, which, for an additional fee, help to develop renewable energy sources and reduce your carbon footprint.
Other products from British Gas include prepayment meters, boiler installation and the HomeCare central heating maintenance and repair service.
Switching
If you feel that your current tariff no longer suits your needs, consider switching to a more economical option.
Switching is easier than you think. All you need to do is submit a few details about your existing deal into the Energychoices calculator and find out how much you could save.
The British Gas corporation was formed in 1973, with the twelve old Gas Boards mutating into regions, each responsible for a particular geographical area.
In 1986, the British Gas Corp transferred to British Gas plc, and shares in British Gas plc were offered for sale.
By 1994, gas business in Great Britain was restructured into five units:
Transco – for transportation and storage
Public Gas Supply
Business Gas
Service and Retail
E&P and Global
The British Gas that we know today began to emerge in 1997, with the company being de-merged into two strands: BG Plc and Centrica.
The focus of BG Plc is transportation, research and technology. Centrica, on the other hand, is concerned with retail and trading.
In 1997, BG was split into BG and Lattice, and in 2002, Lattice merged with the National Grid to form National Grid Transco.
Environmental Responsibility
In addition to offering the environmentally conscious tariffs Future Energy and Zero Carbon, British Gas offer a free bespoke ‘Energy Savers Report’ which outlines ways that you could save energy in your own household.
They also provide home insulation services and green gadgets such as Standby Busters and solar powered torches. If you’re interested in ways of generating your own hot water using the sun’s energy, British Gas can help with solar panel installation too.
Take a look at our summary of green tariffs. By signing up to an environmentally friendly energy tariff you can do a little more to help save the planet. The amount of energy you use will be matched by British Gas, and the equivalent will be supplied by them from a renewable source back to the national grid.
Community Work
British Gas are committed to investing back into the community, piloting such schemes as ‘Here to Help’, a winter rebate initiative for vulnerable customers, and ‘REECH’, a program that helps members of ethnic minorities overcome the barriers that prevent them from affordably heating their homes.
January 2008 saw the introduction of the ‘Winter Warmer’ initiative, which comprises a winter credit of up to £90 and free loft insulation for their most vulnerable customers, particularly the elderly.
