Energy firms have warned of a fight for survival amid rising wholesale prices.
Igloo Energy, Symbio Energy and Enstroga were among the first among firms to have ceased trading amid rising costs that they are prevented to pass on to customers.
More companies including Omni Energy, MA Energy, Zebra Power, Ampoweruk and Bluegreen Energy Services -have since announced they are ceasing to trade.
The tally of energy firms to have collapsed has reached 26 in three months.
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Currently, consumers are protected from sudden price hikes through the Government’s energy price cap.
However, that puts pressure on the suppliers – particularly smaller companies – who are unable to pass on the increases in wholesale gas prices to their customers.
Researchers at Cornwall Insight, a market intelligence agency predict that the Government’s cap on energy prices looks set to rise by a further £178 per year from April next year.
They predict the price cap will be raised to £1,455 for the six months from the beginning of April.
This would be a 14% rise from the already record-breaking £1,277 that customers will pay between this October and April, and up £317 from current levels.
Some analysts have reportedly predicted that the UK’s energy companies could be reduced to three-quarters over the coming months, leaving as few as 10.
The rise in gas prices has been blamed on a number of factors, including a cold winter which left stocks depleted, high demand for liquefied natural gas from Asia and a reduction in supplies from Russia.
Firms that have ceased trading amid energy crisis:
Ampoweruk
The company, which supplies 600 domestic customers and around 2000 non-domestic customers, announced it was going out of business on November 2.
Customers transferred to: Yü Energy
Avro Energy
Avro Energy announced it is ceasing to trade on Wednesday, September 22. In a statement on its website, it said that Ofgem, the energy regulator, is appointing a new supplier for its customers.
It came after Ofgem issued the East Midlands-based firm with a provisional order, which compels it to provide the regulator with financial and other information relating to the company’s activities.
Ofgem requested the financial information on 19 August as part of its licensing conditions.
Avro’s has 580,000 domestic gas and electricity customers.
Octopus Energy stepped in to take on Avro’s 580,000 customers after what Ofgem called a “competitive process” to get the best deal for Avro’s clients.
Customers transferred to:Octopus Energy
Bluegreen Energy Services
The company had 5,900 customers and went out of business on November 1.
Customers transferred to: British Gas
CNG Group
The Harrogate based firm ceased trading on November 3. It served 41,000 business customers.
Customers transferred to: Pozitive Energy
Colorado
London-based Colorado Energy, which had 15,000 customers, entered the Supplier of Last Resort process on October 13.
Customers transferred to: Shell Energy
Daligas
Daligas informed its 9,000 customers on October 14 that it was ceasing to trade 'due to the unprecedented energy market conditions, the record high wholesale prices and the current energy cap set by the industry regulator Ofgem'.
A message on its website read: "From all of us, please accept our deepest thanks for your support throughout all these years." Customers transferred to: Shell Energy
Enstroga
The Nottingham based firm announced it had ceased trading on September 29. Its 6,000 domestic customers have now been transferred to new supplier E.ON Next
Customers transferred to: E.ON Next
Entice
It was announced on November 25 that Entice Energy, which comprises both Entice Energy Supply Limited and Simply Your Energy Limited, are to cease trading. The brands had around 5,400 domestic customers.
Customers transferred to: Scottish Power
Green Energy
Green Supplier Limited, trading as Green Energy announced on its website on Wednesday, September 22 that it is ceasing to trade. Ofgem, the energy regulator, is appointing a new supplier for its customers.
The news came after reports that the firm, which employs around 180 people, was working with Alvarez & Marsal to oversee the administration process.
The company, which serves around 250,000 customers, will use the industry regulator Ofgem’s Supplier of Last Resort, making it another company to collapse due to rocketing wholesale prices.
The firm’s chief executive Peter McGirr spoke out at the start of the week, claiming the Government had offered “no support” to struggling SMEs who were facing financial collapse, despite the prime minister’s pledge to help them navigate a “difficult period”.
Customers transferred to: Shell Energy
GoTo Energy
GoTo Energy contacted its 22,000 domestic customers that it ceased trading on October 18.
Customers transferred to: Shell Energy
HUB Energy
The Preston-based gas and electricity supplier with approximately 15,000 customers across the UK announced it had stopped trading and entered administration in August.
Andrew Stone and Rick Harrison of Interpath Advisory were appointed joint administrators of Gas and Power Ltd, which trades as HUB Energy.
Ofgem confirmed that all customers have been transferred to EON Next.
When the business entered administration it employed 29 members of staff, a number of which were retained to work alongside the joint administrators to "enable the smooth transfer of customers to EON Next and to assist with the final billing process".
Customers transferred to: EON Next
Igloo Energy
Igloo Energy, registered in Southampton ceased trading on September 29. Its 179,000 domestic customers were among those transferred to new supplier E.ON Next.
Customers transferred to: E.ON Next
MA Energy
The company, which supplies 300 non-domestic customers, announced it was going out of business on November 2
Customers transferred to: Smartest Energy
MoneyPlus Energy
MoneyPlus Energy had around 9,000 domestic customers at the time it stopped trading earlier this month.
Ofgem announced British Gas would take over as supplier.
Customers transferred to: British Gas
Neon Reef
The energy firm in Dorset with around 30,000 customers announced it had ceased trading on November 16. The Poole-based firm supplied renewable sourced electricity to its customers.
Customers transferred to: British Gas
Omni Energy
The company, which supplies 6,000 domestic pre-payment customers, went out of business on November 2.
Customers transferred to: Utilita
Orbit Energy
It was announced on November 25 that Orbit Energy ceased trading. The brand had around 65,000 domestic customers.
Customers transferred to: Scottish Power
People's Energy
The Edinburgh-based firm which supplies gas and electricity to about 350,000 homes and 1,000 businesses announced on its website that it was ceasing to trade.
On Monday, regulator Ofgem said British Gas would take over supply to its customers.
People's Energy was formed in 2017 by East Lothian couple David Pike and Karin Sode following a crowdfunding campaign.
They posted in a statement on the website : "We are truly sad that we weren't able to make this community focused approach to energy supply work. Thank you to those of you who supported our mission from early on. We are very sorry about the inconvenience and disruption this will cause our customers."
Customers transferred to: British Gas
PfP Energy
The Preston-based energy firm with around 82,000 domestic customers and 5,600 non-domestic customers announced it had ceased trading earlier this month. Ofgem appointed British Gas as their new supplier. Administrators were Alvarez & Marsal were appointed on Friday. They said said energy supplies have remained "secure" throughout the process and both commercial and domestic credit balances have been protected as part of the transition.
A proportion of the 50-stong workforce have been retained to help with the handover process.
Customers transferred to: British Gas
Pure Planet
Bath-based Pure Planet, which had 235,000 UK customers, said it was unable to continue operating due to the "global energy crisis, record-high wholesale energy costs, and the restrictions placed on us by Ofgem’s Price Cap”. It ceased trading on October 13.
Customers transferred to: Shell Energy
Social Energy Supply
The Brighouse-registered Social Energy Supply, which supplied 5,500 domestic customers, announced it had ceased trading on November 16.
Customers transferred to: British Gas
Symbio Energy
The Watford based firm had 48,000 domestic customers when it ceased trading on September 29. They have been transferred to new supplier E.ON Next.
Customers transferred to: E.ON Next
Together Energy
Together Energy, which is co-owned by Warrington Borough Council and has around 176,000 customers, ceased trading on January 18.
The Scotland-headquartered business, includes its subsidiary Bristol Energy, also supplied one non-domestic customer.
Customers transferred to: British Gas
Utility Point
The Poole-based firm confirmed that it was ceasing to trade on September 14.
Its 220,000 customers have been transferred to energy supplier EDF.
Watchdog Ofgem said it appointed EDF following a competitive process that would make sure customers were given the "best deal possible".
Utility Point said on its website that former and current customers’ credit balances were protected and EDF would contact users if necessary to determine the amount of any outstanding balance.
Customers transferred to: EDF
Zebra Power Ltd
The company, which supplies 14,800 domestic customers, was one of four to go out of business on November 2 before officially entering administration through PWC.
Customers transferred to: British Gas
Zog Energy
Zog Energy, based in Ipswich, ceased trading on December 1, affecting 11,700 domestic energy customers.
Customers transferred to: Yet to be appointed.
