What Is The Energy Switch Guarantee

The Energy Switch Guarantee is a voluntary set of promises made by energy suppliers to ensure that switching your gas or electricity supplier is simple, speedy and safe. It was launched by Energy UK, the trade association for the UK energy industry, on 7 June 2016, and now covers the large majority of household customers in Great Britain.

If you are thinking about moving supplier or tariff, the Guarantee tells you what to expect from the switching process and what your supplier must deliver. Below we explain the 10 commitments, how long a switch takes, what it costs, your right to change your mind, and how the separate Ofgem rules protect you if something goes wrong.

• The Energy Switch Guarantee is a voluntary scheme run by Energy UK, made up of 10 commitments suppliers agree to follow.
• Your switch should complete within five working days, with no interruption to your gas or electricity supply.
• There is no charge to switch, though some fixed tariffs carry an exit fee.
• You get a 14-day cooling-off period, and any credit owed is refunded within 14 days of your final bill.

What is the Energy Switch Guarantee?

The Energy Switch Guarantee is a voluntary set of promises that energy suppliers sign up to so that switching tariff or supplier is reliable and straightforward for customers. It was created by Energy UK, the trade association for the UK energy industry, and is built around three principles: simple, speedy and safe.

The scheme works in a similar way to the Current Account Switch Guarantee in banking, which gives people a clear set of standards when they move bank account. With energy, the Guarantee sets out what a switch should look like, who handles it, and how quickly it should happen.

Membership is recognised in the Citizens Advice energy supplier rating table, where signing up earns a supplier three extra stars towards the customer guarantees element of its score. An independent Expert Panel oversees the scheme, chaired in 2025 by Matthew Cole, Head of the Fuel Bank Foundation, alongside consumer advocacy groups and Energy UK.

The 10 commitments suppliers agree to

The Energy Switch Guarantee consists of 10 commitments that all signatories promise to follow. These set out the standards a member supplier must meet every time a customer switches to one of their tariffs.

• Your switch will be completed within five working days once you have confirmed you want to go ahead.
• Your gas and electricity supply will not be interrupted at any point during the switch.
• The new supplier handles the whole transfer for you, contacting you only if more information is needed.
• You have a 14-day cooling-off period in which you can change your mind.
• Any credit you are owed is refunded within 14 days of your final bill.
• There is no charge to compare and switch your energy.
• The switch is handled securely so your supply transfers correctly.
• You will be kept informed about the progress of your switch.
• Suppliers report their performance against the standards every quarter.
• Members are independently assessed to confirm they meet the Guarantee’s criteria.

Energy UK measures members against key performance indicators each quarter, including the percentage of valid switches between suppliers completed within five working days. For a plainer walk-through of the process, see our guide to the simplified energy switching process.

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How long does an energy switch take?

A switch under the Energy Switch Guarantee should complete within five working days once you have confirmed you want it to go ahead. This is a marked improvement on the older system, where a switch could take up to 21 days.

Some suppliers move faster than the five-day standard. British Gas, for example, states a switch can be completed in as little as three to five days. The exact timing depends on the supplier you are moving to, since they take responsibility for completing the transfer.

Because all energy suppliers use the same wires and pipes, nothing physical needs changing at your property. Your gas and electricity are not shut off at any point, and you do not lose supply while the switch is in progress.

Does it cost anything to switch?

There is no charge to compare and switch your energy supplier or tariff under the Guarantee. The scheme is free to use, and comparison itself costs you nothing.

You may, however, face an exit fee from your current supplier depending on the tariff you are on. Fixed-rate deals often carry an exit fee if you leave before the end of the term, typically a set amount per fuel. Standard variable tariffs usually have no exit fee.

It is worth checking whether any exit fee is smaller than the saving you would make by switching. If you are weighing up a new deal, our guide to fixed price energy explains how exit fees and fixed terms work.

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Can you change your mind after starting a switch?

The Energy Switch Guarantee provides a 14-day cooling-off period after you agree to switch suppliers. During this period, you can change your mind without penalty. If you decide not to proceed within those 14 days, you will simply remain with your existing supplier or on your existing tariff.

This cooling-off right is standard for switches arranged remotely, such as online or over the phone. You do not need to give a reason, and cancelling within the window means the switch does not go ahead.

If you cancel after the cooling-off period and the switch has completed, you can still move again, though normal exit fees and timescales would then apply.

What happens to your final bill and credit?

Any credit you are owed is refunded within 14 days of your final bill under the Energy Switch Guarantee. Your old supplier produces a final bill after the switch completes, reconciling what you have paid against what you have used.

If you have paid by Direct Debit and built up a credit balance, that money is returned to you. If you owe money, your old supplier will bill you for the outstanding amount. Giving an accurate meter reading on or around your switch date helps make sure the final bill is correct.

Which suppliers have signed up?

The Energy Switch Guarantee now has 10 members representing around 95% of household customers in Great Britain, according to Energy UK’s Good Practice Guide 2024-25 (published 03/09/2025). That is up from around 80% in 2021, so the scheme covers most homes.

All of the UK’s largest suppliers have signed up, alongside several smaller ones. Because the membership list changes over time, the most reliable place to confirm whether your supplier is a current signatory is Energy UK’s official Energy Switch Guarantee page.

The scheme launched when only around 5% of homes had a smart meter; today around 68% of domestic customers do, according to Energy UK (September 2025), which has made meter readings and final bills more accurate during switches.

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What if your supplier isn’t a member?

If your supplier has not signed up to the Energy Switch Guarantee, you are still protected by Ofgem’s rules, which apply to every licensed supplier. The Guarantee is a voluntary add-on on top of these statutory protections, not a replacement for them.

Ofgem operates a system of automatic compensation for switching problems. Customers can receive an automatic payment from their old or new supplier if a switch is delayed beyond the required timescale, if they are switched by mistake, or if a final bill arrives late. The exact day-counts and amounts are set by Ofgem and have been updated over time, so check the current figures on Ofgem’s website before relying on a specific amount.

If something goes wrong, you should complain to the supplier responsible first. Under industry rules, a supplier has eight weeks to resolve a complaint before you can escalate it to the Energy Ombudsman, whose decision is binding on the supplier.

How the Guarantee relates to your energy bills

The Energy Switch Guarantee makes the act of switching reliable, but the saving comes from the tariff you move to. Ofgem’s energy price cap sets a limit on unit rates and the standing charge for a typical household on a standard variable tariff; it does not cap your total bill, which still rises and falls with how much you use.

From 1 July 2026, Ofgem has announced the price cap will change, with a typical annual bill of around £1,862 on the previous typical consumption basis (Ofgem, 27/05/2026). Ofgem is also updating the typical usage figures it uses, which produces a lower headline number on the new basis, so it is worth checking Ofgem’s latest announcement for the exact figures before relying on them.

Switching to a competitive fixed deal can take you below the capped variable rate. If keeping bills low matters to you, comparing tariffs regularly is the practical step, and our gas and electricity FAQs cover the common questions about saving on energy.

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• Energy Switch Guarantee: Simplified Supplier Switching
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• Gas and Electricity FAQs | Save on Energy Bills UK
• Fixed Price Energy | Cheapest Fixed Deals in the UK