Ofgem's Full List of UK Gas Licensees: What Households Need to Know
Ofgem maintains an up-to-date directory of all gas licensees, including suppliers serving UK households. This guide explains the list, its impact on bills, who it affects, and switching options.
Direct answer
Ofgem publishes an up-to-date list of all active gas licensees in the UK, including domestic suppliers available to households. This applies to all UK households using gas, confirmed as of December 2025. It supports informed supplier selection for potential bill savings through switching.
What’s happening
Ofgem, the UK energy regulator, maintains a comprehensive, up-to-date directory of all active gas licensees in the UK. This list, last detailed as of 3 December 2025, includes over 400 companies across categories such as gas suppliers (domestic and non-domestic), gas shippers, transporters, and others, according to Ofgem. While many licensees focus on business or wholesale activities, a subset serves households directly as domestic gas suppliers like British Gas, Octopus Energy, and OVO Gas Ltd.
The directory helps consumers verify licensed operators in the competitive gas market, where around 21 suppliers were active for households as of March 2025 per market reports.
What this means for household energy bills
Access to Ofgem's gas licensees list empowers UK households to identify legitimate domestic suppliers offering potentially cheaper tariffs. Sticking with the default variable rate from incumbents like British Gas—the largest gas supplier as of June 2025—often costs more than fixed deals from competitors such as Octopus Energy or E.ON Next. According to Ofgem, a competitive market with verified licensees supports better pricing, though non-domestic or shipper licensees do not affect household bills directly.
Who is affected
This applies to all UK households with a gas supply, particularly those on standard variable tariffs or seeking to switch providers. Domestic consumers can reference the list to ensure suppliers hold the correct Ofgem licence for homes, excluding business-only entities like Flogas Enterprise Solutions or Engie Gas Ltd.
What you can do now
- Check Ofgem's gas licensees list to confirm your current supplier's status and explore domestic options.
- Compare tariffs from licensed domestic gas suppliers using free tools for potential savings.
- Upload your bill to Taupia to scan 19+ providers covering ~90% of the market in seconds.
- Review and approve switches quickly, with Taupia handling paperwork.
- Switch only to verified domestic suppliers to avoid unlicensed risks.
Key takeaways
- Ofgem's list includes over 400 gas licensees, but only domestic suppliers serve UK households.
- Households can use the directory to verify licensed suppliers before switching.
- Switching to a competitive domestic supplier may lower bills, with tools like Taupia simplifying the process.
- The list distinguishes domestic from non-domestic and other roles like shippers.
- Always confirm a supplier's domestic licence status on Ofgem's site.
Frequently asked questions
How often does Ofgem update the gas licensees list?
Ofgem keeps the list up-to-date, with the latest version as of 3 December 2025 according to their PDF directory.
Can households switch to any gas licensee?
Only licensees categorised as domestic gas suppliers serve households; others like shippers or non-domestic suppliers do not.
What are examples of major domestic gas suppliers?
Major ones include British Gas, Octopus Energy, E.ON Next, OVO Energy, EDF Energy, and ScottishPower, per market share data as of June 2025.
Does the list include only household suppliers?
No, it covers all categories like suppliers, shippers, and transporters, but households focus on domestic suppliers.
How can I check the full Ofgem gas licensees list?
Visit Ofgem's official page for the current directory of active gas licensees.