Utilita Energy 2026: Pay As You Go Business & Smart Meter Solutions
Quick answer
Utilita Energy is a UK-based energy supplier specialising in smart pay-as-you-go electricity and gas for homes and businesses. Known for fast, responsive customer service, innovative smart meter solutions, and flexible tariffs, they are a popular choice for businesses looking to control energy costs while exploring green energy options.
If you would like to read more information or learn more about the pricing of business energy, you can do so here .
Key Takeaways
Smart Pay-As-You-Go energy offers control over usage and bills.
Flexible tariffs suit different business sizes and energy needs.
Customer service is highly rated, with fast response times via phone and live chat.
Green energy options help meet sustainability goals.
Competitive pricing with innovative tiered rates for energy efficiency.
Rapid growth: over 800,000 customers as of 2021.
How do we work?
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Authored by: Ally Cox (Business Technology & B2B Services Specialist 10+ Years’ Experience)
Reviewed by: James Ward (Telecoms Specialist, 12+ Years Experience)
Last Updated: March 2026
Contents
History of Utilita Energy
Utilita Energy : founded in 2003 by Bill Bullen
Innovation: First UK company to install a Smart Meter in 2008
Market Share: ~2.6% of UK energy market
Specialisation: Pay-as-you-go electricity and gas for domestic and business customers
Pricing and Tariffs
Tariff Type
Energy Type
Rate (per kWh)
Notes
Smart Energy
Gas
8.034p initial / 3.421p additional
Pay-as-you-go, tiered rates
Electricity
17.516p initial / 12.875p additional
Premium Energy
Gas
30.936p initial / 3.421p additional
Fixed or flexible options
Electricity
40.342p initial / 12.875p additional
Higher initial rate for low-volume users
Smart E7
Electricity
43.947p initial / 15.331p additional
Includes 4.385 kWh overnight
Premium E7
Electricity
44.219p initial / 15.331p additional
Overnight energy rate applies
Ofgem Investigation
Utilita Energy is highly praised and highly rated among its customers. However, it underwent a review by Ofgen in January 2020. This investigation occurred following reports that the company was taking part in bad practices and overcharging customers for the energy they used due to the prepayment meter system.
Does Utilita Offer Value for Money Services?
Utilita offers a selection of different tariffs for its customers, depending on whether the customer already has a smart meter installed. The brand also provides customers with a prepayment meter, which can then be paid with direct debit payments.
A unique feature of the Utilita tariff is charged at varying unit rates daily. Initial energy use (up to two kilowatt-hours per day) is charged at a higher rate than subsequent energy use, which is provided at a lower rate; therefore, for high energy users, Utilita Energy can provide potential cost savings. They also offer the option of a combined gas and electricity package and gas or electric-only solutions.
In terms of overall value for money, Utilita Energy typically offers generally comparable value with other energy providers, although the different unit rates are potentially beneficial. Moreover, bills typically tend to be accurate, based on a Which review of the company.
How Much Does Utilita Energy Cost?
The price for Utilita Energy services is generally about average for most energy companies and depends on your chosen plan. Moreover, energy prices are variable by region. However, prices tend to fall within the following regions:
Smart Energy plans
Gas: 8.034 pence per kWh initially, and 3.421 pence per kWh for additional units
Electricity: 17.516 pence per kWh initially, and 12.875 pence per kWh for additional units
Premium Energy plans
Gas: 30.936 pence per kWh initially, and 3.421 pence per kWh for additional units
Electricity: 40.342 pence per kWh initially, and 12.875 pence per kWh for additional units
Smart E7 plans
Electricity: 43.947 pence per kWh initially, 15.331 pence per kWh for additional units, and 4.385 kWh overnight
Premium E7 plans
Electricity: 44.219 pence per kWh initially, 15.331 pence per kWh for additional units, and 4.385 kWh overnight
In addition to the solutions mentioned above, Utilita Energy also provides a selection of reliable business electricity and gas tariffs and rates, which can be arranged based on your business’s unique consumption and requirements and paid on a Pay As You Go basis.
Customer Service
Utilita Energy shines on an area of customer service, with the brand responding to phone calls in roughly four and a half minutes on average – around one third faster than the average response times for energy brands, something that’s commendable. Moreover, the average response time for a live chat was even lower at just a couple of minutes. However, it should be noted here that the live chat functionality went down during the Ofgem investigation period.
As an additional benefit of the Utilita Energy customer service, the team is also highly praised for the helpfulness of its colleagues, with many customers reporting that they got support quickly and easily through the contact platforms.
The only drawback in customer service comes from the 2020 Ofgem report, which highlighted the team as slow to respond to complaints. With that being said, the company has likely made improvements in the complaints department specific and general customer service, owing to more recent reviews.
Customer Perceptions of Utilita Energy
A vital indicator of the reliability and success of a company is its customers’ perceptions. To this end, it’s worth considering whether past customers have a good experience with the brand. Fortunately, customers commonly report good results with the company, despite the Ofgem investigation in January 2020.
We should note here that several brands have given the Utilita team a lousy review, including the Review Centre and Citizen’s Advice. However, on the whole, perceptions of Utilita Energy are high from past customers and review brands alike; for example, the brand has, at the time of writing, received an average rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars based on almost 40,000 past customers, with customers particularly praising the company’s customer service for queries.
Choosing a suitable energy company can significantly influence your overall energy costs and the level of service you experience. Fortunately, Utilita Energy is one company that is rapidly growing in terms of popularity, and with over 800,000 customers as of January 2021, the company has become a more popular choice. To this end, they could be a good choice for your energy requirements, particularly if you are looking for a Pay provider like You Go Smart Energy.
FAQs – Utilita Energy
1. Does Utilita Energy offer business energy plans?
Yes, they provide Pay-As-You-Go and business electricity/gas tariffs tailored to consumption and company size.
2. How does Pay-As-You-Go work?
Energy usage is tracked via smart meters, and you pay in advance or top-up as you go, allowing full control over bills.
3. Are there green energy options?
Yes, Utilita increasingly provides renewable electricity and gas solutions to support sustainability goals.
4. What are typical energy rates?
Rates vary by tariff: such as Smart Energy electricity is 17.516p/kWh initial, 12.875p/kWh after, while Premium Energy is higher for low-volume users.
5. How reliable is customer service?
Highly rated, with average phone response ~4.5 minutes and live chat typically under 2 minutes.
6. Can businesses install smart meters?
Yes, Utilita installs smart meters for both domestic and business customers, enabling monitoring and Pay-As-You-Go usage.
7. Are Utilita tariffs better than other UK energy providers?
For high-usage Pay-As-You-Go customers, their tiered rates can offer cost savings and control, while their customer service and innovative tech make them stand out.
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Hi, I’m Ally Cox , a senior copywriter and blogger at CompareYourBusinessCosts.co.uk, the UK’s trusted platform for comparing business services.
With over a decade of experience in the B2B sector, I specialise in simplifying complex topics like leased lines, VoIP, business energy, HR and payroll solutions, accounting software, and EPOS systems .
Before joining CompareYourBusinessCosts, I worked across various industries, gaining hands-on experience in HR, copywriting, and business operations- from clocking-in systems to card machines and office technology .
My goal is simple: to help UK businesses make informed, confident decisions when choosing products and services that improve efficiency and save money.