E.ON Next

E.ON Next says it is focused on providing renewable electricity to fixed tariff customers across the UK.

It is part of the German-owned E.ON Group, which is one of Europe's largest operators of energy networks and energy infrastructure. 

E.ON took on around 2 million former npower customers in 2021, and is the third-largest of the so-called 'Big Six' UK energy suppliers, after British Gas and Octopus.

Compare energy prices using our free tool to see if you could spend less. 

E.ON Next score 

We combine the results of our customer survey with an in-depth assessment of companies' behind-the-scenes practices and policies to give you an overall view.

Take a look at our table below to see our score breakdown for E.ON Next:

Here's how E.ON Next's customer and policy assessments break down:

Find out how E.ON Next compares with other energy companies – click to see our full results of the best and worst energy companies.

E.ON Next customer review

E.ON Next was ranked in the lower half of the table of the 16 energy companies rated in the Which? energy customer survey of 9,049 members of the public. It received a customer score of 55%, putting it in joint 11th place. 

Just four companies received worse customer ratings than E.ON Next: Ovo Energy and Shell Energy with 54% and Boost Power and Scottish Power with 53%.

While customers gave an average three-star rating for half of the areas we rated, including customer service, they awarded just a single star for value for money.

Customers commented on the poor value for money whilst expressing broad satisfaction with other aspects of the service. One customer said: 'The service is reliable but the prices are sky-high'; while another said: 'Don't like the prices but think they as a company are ok'.

Others mentioned problems with inaccurate payments: 'We are always having trouble with meter readings, meter not sending gas and electric readings together, we are always contacting them about this ongoing problems and it’s very seldom the bills are correct,' said one.

Which? verdict on E.ON Next

• Pros: Good at supporting customers who need it
• Cons: Among the worst performers in our customer survey; customers rate it poor value for money 

Our E.ON Next supplier assessment

In October 2023 we looked at four aspects of suppliers' business practices and procedures: 

• customer service - including how and when you can get in touch, and the quality of self-service help online
• how well they deal with complaints - how many complaints suppliers get and how quickly they resolve them
• supporting customers who need it - including web accessibility, those in vulnerable situations, in financial difficulty, who use prepayment meters, and those who need materials in languages besides English 
• smart meter targets performance in 2022 (the most recent).

We did this using a combination of the responses to a survey we sent to suppliers and our own assessments.

E.ON Next achieved a respectable mid-table ranking amongst the 18 suppliers we rated, with an overall score of 67%. This puts it in joint-8th place along with Outfox the Market. In contrast, the best supplier Utility Warehouse scored 80%.

It scored well for supporting customers who need it, with nine out of 10 points. Its complaints performance and customer service also received acceptable scores, but it could do better on meeting smart meter installation targets. 

E.ON Next customer service

There was room for improvement when it came to E.ON Next's customer service, according to its customers, as it got a middling three-star rating. Six suppliers in our survey achieved four stars, while the best - Octopus Energy - received five stars. Only three companies received a worse two-star rating (Boost Power, EDF Energy and Scottish Power).

It fared slightly better in our supplier assessment of its customer service, with 10 points out of 15, putting it in joint-8th place. 

E.ON Next common complaints

In our customer survey, 3% of respondents said they contacted E.ON Next to make a complaint in the last 12 months.

More than a quarter (25%) of the E.ON Next customers who made a complaint did so about a problem with their bill, while the same number complained about an incorrect credit balance. Other common customer complaints were about broken smart meters (22%).

Can you join E.ON Next with a prepayment meter?

Yes, E.ON Next can supply customers with pay-as-you-go meters.

• You can top up your credit at a Payzone, PayPoint or Post Office outlet. If you have a smart prepayment meter you can also top up online or via the E.ON Next app, and you'll be able to keep track of your balance using the website, app or your in-home display.
• If you have less than 50p in credit remaining on your electricity meter, you can get emergency credit of £5 from E.ON Next. For gas you can get £10 of emergency credit if you have less than £2 remaining. You'll pay the emergency credit back when you next top up.

Not sure if you should prepay? Find out: is prepayment energy is right for you.

Does E.ON Next sell renewable energy?

E.ON Next supplies 100% renewable electricity which it buys from generators without subsidies.

In August 2023, we asked energy companies for information on a range of sustainability criteria. We awarded them points based on their responses as well as information published on their websites, including the annual Fuel Mix Disclosure (FMD). Aspects we scored included how much of the electricity they supply is renewable and whether they generate renewable energy or buy it directly from generators.

E.ON Next sells 100% renewable energy to its domestic customers which is bought directly from renewable generators that do not receive government subsidies. It is fully matched by REGO certificates. E.ON Next does not sell green gas.

It told us: 'We aim for the E.ON Group’s Scope 1 and 2 emissions is to be climate-neutral by 2040 and its Scope 3 emissions by 2050'.

When we compared energy companies on their green credentials in November 2023, E.ON Next scored 55%. This places it right in the middle of our table of the 17 companies rated.

Find out more about the differences between energy companies’ renewable electricity.