Retail market indicators

In our monitoring of the retail energy market for gas and electricity, we collect and analyse a vast range of data. Our retail market indicators give a snapshot of this monitoring. They draw from a comprehensive framework which underpins our ongoing monitoring, including our annual update on the retail energy markets in Great Britain. You can view these updates in the related publications section below. 

These market indicators and data are not intended for use or to be relied on for any commercial purposes. View copyright and disclaimer.

If you have feedback on the indicators, please contact us.

There were 17 active suppliers in the domestic gas and electricity retail markets as of March 2026. This consisted of 16 suppliers active in both gas and electricity and 1 in electricity, with no exits during the first quarter of 2026.

In 2025, during the second quarter, one supplier exited the market, and another supplier confirmed their operation is focussed on the non-domestic segment. During Q3 2025, there were no market entries, exits. However, in Q4 2025, one supplier exited the market.

During the first quarter of 2026, the total number of suppliers as of March 2026 remained at 17 as a there were no exits.

Over the month of July prices generally increased as hostilities escalated in the Middle East. Gas prices rose significantly in the first half of July as the breaking of a ceasefire and escalating strikes between the US and Iran raised concerns about LNG availability with low European storage levels. Prices increased in day ahead and near-term forward markets to some of the highest levels for the conflict. International competition increased as Asian prices also increased and the incentive for storage sites to inject over summer decreased as summer-winter spreads narrowed. At the end of July some of the price increases unwound as the geopolitical situation eased and news of negotiations between Iran and Oman on a proposed agreement on Strait of Hormuz transit routes appeared to boost market confidence.  

Power prices generally tracked movements in gas prices but tended to be more muted as renewable generation and changes in carbon prices tempered gas dependence somewhat. However, in the penultimate week of July key forward power prices reached their highest level this year as heatwave temperatures caused issues for European generation and raised demand for cooling. Like gas, power prices fell back slightly in the last week following easing of geopolitical tensions and European temperatures.  

For more detailed updates on wholesale prices visit Wholesale market indicators.

In July 2026, the average number of fixed tariffs on offer remained broadly unchanged compared with June 2026. Around 74% of these offers were available to the whole market rather than exclusive to specific customers, and around 81% were priced lower than the price cap for 1 July 2026 to 30 September 2026. 

The average fixed tariff was priced at £1619, £89 lesser than the previous month £1,708. The decrease is primarily driven by the change in TDCV values outlined below and should therefore be interpreted with caution when comparing periods. 

The average price of SVTs with large legacy suppliers for a typical dual fuel customer paying with direct increased to £1,663 which is aligned with the current price cap for the period 1 July to 30 September. The market cheapest tariff decreased to £1,398, £177 lesser than the previous month at £1575. The cheapest tariff basket decreased from £1,612 in June 2026 to £1,532 in July 2026. See methodology for information on how the cheapest tariff basket is calculated. 

The differential between the average price of SVTs and the market cheapest increased from £66 in June 2026 to £265 in July 2026. The differential between the average price of SVTs for the large legacy suppliers and the cheapest tariff basket increased from £29 in June 2026 to £130 in July 2026. 

The update of all profit and average bill indicators based on Consolidated Segmental Statements (CSS) has been paused. Only three large domestic legacy suppliers (British Gas, EDF and Scottish Power) and one non-domestic supplier (SSE) had submitted a CSS under the regulation before consultation in 2023. This information was insufficient to generate market representative statistics. A review of the CSS obligation is now completed and will expand CSS reporting to most of the domestic and non-domestic market. This will apply to supplier financial accounts for 2023 onwards with publication 10 months after the company’s financial year end. We intend to resume the publication of these indicators as soon as new data becomes available.  

Read Reviewing the Consolidated Segmental Statements – our decision for more information.

Read Energy companies’ Consolidated Segmental Statements (CSS) for more details.

The Market Stabilisation Charge was a temporary measure in place from 14 April 2022 to 31 March 2024 which required all domestic suppliers acquiring a domestic customer to pay a charge to the losing supplier when wholesale prices fell considerably below the relevant wholesale price cap index. For more information about the MSC read - Market Stabilisation Charge dashboard.

In June 2026, total number of switches increased by an average of 31.3% across both fuels compared with May 2026.  

Electricity switches increased by 29.2% from 237,988 in May 2026 to 307,400 in June 2026 with gas switches also increasing by 34.2% from 181,733 to 243,813. 

The proportion of switching to other suppliers (dual fuel) was 57% in June 2026. The net gains for electricity and gas to other suppliers increased by 69% and 75% respectively in June 2026. This continues to reflect customers moving towards other large, medium and small suppliers.  

Suppliers’ Customer Credit Balances (CCBs) are an important aspect of the retail energy market, and this is reflected in licence obligations in relation to both consumer standards and supplier financial resilience.

The data below reflects Ofgem's chosen policy measure. This is for Fixed Direct Debit domestic customers.  This focuses the analysis on how households are impacted by CCBs. We have ‘netted off unbilled consumption’ meaning that energy you have paid for but not used does not feature. Finally, as Customer credit balances are seasonal (they rise in summer months and are then spent in colder winter months) we have included the yearly average to disaggregate the seasonal variation from its underlying trend.

These figures reflect households that are in credit, the values are true as of the last day of each calendar quarter (31 March, 30 June, 30 September 31 December).

Finally, the use of quartiles may be impacted as usage changes in the future, which would need to be reviewed and recognised.

This data is published by the end of March, June, September and December each year.  For further information see customer credit balances explanatory note.

We have selected this range of indicators to support general understanding of the market, including how they contribute to the key priorities outlined in our strategic narrative. We also aim to provide a picture of the market where it is not produced elsewhere, or where there is scope for us to set a clear methodology for the data.

Our data comes from sources that are either publicly available, provided by third parties or from responses to Ofgem information requests. Specific sources and relevant dates are listed with each indicator. We are grateful to third parties for allowing us to reproduce their data. 

Most of these indicators will be updated quarterly while still allowing access to historic information. Updates will depend on the availability of data for an indicator. 

We will review the indicators periodically to ensure they continue to help promote transparency and understanding of the retail energy market and as additional sources of information become available.