Who supplies my gas and electricity?

Who supplies my electricity?

Your electricity supplier is the company responsible for providing the electricity that you use in your home or business and they are who you receive bills from and pay for the service. 

You can find out who your electricity supplier is by checking your most recent electricity bill. This will include the name of your supplier and the tariff that you’re currently on. 

If you don’t have a bill available, contact the estate agent or previous owner (or the landlord if you’re renting) to find out.

If you have just moved into a new property, the previous occupants may have contacted the supplier to let them know they have left, so keep a look out for a letter addressed to “The Occupier”.

You can contact your distribution network operator to find out and you can find your distribution network operator here. 

If you’re not quite sure which area your property belongs to, you can use the Energy Networks Association postcode search tool.

Who supplies my gas?

Your gas supplier is the company responsible for providing the gas that you use in your home or business, and they are who you receive bills from and pay for the service.

You can find out who your gas supplier is by checking your most recent gas bill. You may have a dual fuel contract which means you will pay for your gas and electricity together. Your bill will state the name of your supplier and the tariff that you’re currently on. 

You can find out who your gas supplier is by using the Meter Point Administration’s (MPA) online search tool, which you can find here. 

Alternatively, you can call 0870 608 1524 to get in touch with the MPA over the phone. Please note that these calls will cost 7p per minute plus your phone company’s standard rate. 

The MPA can also provide you with your gas Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN), which tells your supplier where your meter is located. You’ll need your MPRN when switching supplier. Learn more about MPRNs here.

 

How many energy suppliers are there in the UK?

In the UK there are 58 energy suppliers currently operating, according to Ofgem’s most recent figures.

At Love Energy Savings, we work hard to find the best gas and electricity prices and tariffs for our customers, which is why we work with as many suppliers as possible for you to compare energy prices.

You can view a comprehensive list of the energy suppliers we work with here. 

Who supplies my gas and electricity when I move to a new property?

When you move into a new property, your electricity and gas supplier will initially be the same as the previous occupier. While over 11 million homes in the UK have a dual fuel bill, meaning their electricity and gas supplier is the same company, some people use different suppliers for their gas and electricity.

The first thing you should do when you move into a new home or business premises is contact your supplier and give them an electricity and gas reading from the meter, to ensure that you only pay for what you use during your occupancy.

If you’re moving into a new build, a supplier may have agreed a deal with the property developer to initially supply all houses on your plot. In this case, the developer will be able to tell you who your supplier is when you move in.

Until you get in touch with them or another supplier to arrange a contract, you’ll be put on a ‘deemed rate’; that is, a higher rate you’ll pay to cover your energy supply until a new contract is agreed. 

If the previous tenant or homeowner has notified their supplier that they’re moving out, you should get a letter from the existing supplier addressed to ‘The Occupier’. This letter will give you a summary of the current plan in place, including the rates you’re paying and who to contact for more information. 

If the previous tenant or owner did not notify their supplier, you can find out who the supplier is by contacting your distribution network operator.

 

What is a DNO?

DNO stands for ‘distribution network operator’. DNOs are companies licensed to distribute electricity in the UK; these licenses are provided by the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem).

They are split by fourteen geographically defined areas, based on former electricity board boundaries which were established when electricity was originally nationalised. 

The primary purpose of a DNO is to transport the electricity you need to use from the point of supply to your home or business premises. They own the power lines that connect you to the electricity transmission network, which connects power stations and major substations around the UK so that any electricity produced can be delivered around the country.

However, DNOs can also help you with things like:

• Moving your meter
• Connecting your property
• What to do in a power cut

 

What’s the difference between a DNO and a supplier?

DNOs don’t supply the electricity you use. This is done by the supplier that you’ve chosen to purchase your electricity from. 

Your supplier will typically own a number of power stations around the country that are connected to the energy transmission network. When you use electricity, your DNO is responsible for getting the electricity from those power stations — wherever they are in the country — to your premises. 

For this reason, your supplier won’t be able to help with regional problems like power cuts on your street or issues with your meter. 

 

Who is my DNO?

You can find out who your DNO is by checking your location in the table below:

Area	Name of Distribution Network Operator	Contact number
North of Scotland	Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks	0345 026 2554
Central & Southern Scotland	SP Energy Networks	0330 1010 300
North East England & Yorkshire	Northern Powergrid	0800 011 3332
North West England	Electricity North West	0800 195 4141
Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales & North Shropshire	SP Energy Networks	0330 1010 300
East Midlands & West Midlands	Western Power Distribution	0800 096 3080
South Wales & South West England	Western Power Distribution	0800 096 3080
London, South East England & Eastern England	UK Power Networks	0800 029 4285
Central Southern England	Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks	0345 026 2554
Northern Ireland	Northern Ireland Electricity Networks	03457 643 643
Republic of Ireland	ESB Networks	00353 1850 372 757

Can I change my gas and electricity suppliers?

Yes, you can — and you can do it online. Using our comparison tool, you can switch your supplier or tariff in no time whether you’re a homeowner or running a business. Enter your postcode here to get started and see how much you can save.