Scottish Power is one of the UK’s most established providers, having been formed in 1990 in preparation for the privatisation of the previously state-owned Scottish electricity industry. Now owned by Spanish energy giant Iberdrola, it continues to supply around five million customers in the UK. Can the energy giant continue to hold its own in a market with an increasing number of independent providers offering affordable green alternatives?
Scottish Power reviews
An important consideration when deciding whether to join up with a provider is what its customers think of it. Scottish Power reviews aren’t positive. In fact, Scottish Power is one of the worst-reviewed providers on the market.
A score of 1.1 out of 5 stars gives a distinctly poor impression of its customer service and overall customer satisfaction. Complaints handling and rising costs seem to be the main reason that 96% of nearly 6,000 reviewers gave it the worst score of 1 star. Here’s what one customer had to say about its complaints process:
After leaving a complaint on Trustpilot and receiving a reply from Sam asking me to resend all the details over a week ago, I have heard nothing. My complaint has been going on for over 6 months.
No one likes to be put into a situation where they have to complain about their provider, but it can happen regardless of the company you’re with. What’s discouraging is that Scottish Power reviews suggest that the company has no interest in helping customers resolve their complaints or any issues they’re having.
Apart from poor customer service, there doesn’t seem to be much financial incentive for signing up to Scottish Power. Rising monthly payments and astronomical miscalculations that are too much for customers to afford is another common issue we see reported, with this customer representative of many more that have felt the pinch:
Receive an email to say I have an outstanding £919 to pay as they have undercharged me for the last 1 year. (...) Didn’t want to drag this on so I paid to get them off my back. Received my bill for this quarter but surprise surprise receive another email 2 days later to say I have a bill to pay. Absolutely ridiculous.
It goes without saying that Scottish Power reviews offer little reason for signing up with the provider, with reviews like the above ones predominating. Only 2% of customers find something positive to say about the provider, so it seems a risk to take the chance that you may be among the one in fifty reviewers who were happy with the provider.
Scottish Power tariffs
There are a number of Scottish Power tariffs available to those interested in signing up, but a good indication of how fair a provider is with its pricing is in its standard variable tariff, as it is what you’ll end up on when your initial contract runs out anyway.
The cheapest quotes we found for Scottish Power compare reasonably well to the market in general. The cheapest of the three, Greener Future, is around fifty pounds a year cheaper Ofgem’s price cap of £1,138 for dual fuel.
Scottish Power's standard variable tariffs do come in above the price cap, which makes us disinclined to recommend one of these. It’s important to note also that variable tariffs are subject to price hikes, which has been a common complaint about Scottish Power tariffs, as well as usage miscalculations and overcharging. A bit of shopping around could save you a lot!
For more information about Scottish Power tariffs, including its full range of tariffs past and present, see its website.
Green tariffs
Unfortunately, Scottish Power tariffs are not entirely green according to our definition. This is because the fuel mix it uses to source its energy is not green, but it generates green energy to use for other products or sell into the national grid for every kilowatt it provides to domestic users. This ‘matching’ of energy is known as carbon offsetting, and environmentalists are divided on its merits - as are we, though it’s certainly better than doing nothing at all.
Scottish Power says that it matches 100% of the electricity its customers use with renewable energy generated at its plants, but its fuel mix (seen below) is what it is - still burning the earth’s non-renewable resources and contributing significantly to climate change.
Want to learn more about carbon offset?Learn about how providers try to make up for the carbon generated in powering your home in our carbon offset guide.
There are 100% green Scottish Power tariffs available to small business customers, however, not much information on the tariffs themselves is available on the Scottish Power website. They do guarantee that REGO certificates will be provided with these tariffs - these certificates constitute proof that the energy is sourced from 100% renewable energy.
Fuel mix
Like all other UK providers, Scottish Power is obliged to report from where it sources its fuel from. You can see how it compares to the national average below:
| - | Coal | Natural gas | Nuclear | Renewables | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scottish Power | 5% | 52% | 11% | 30% | 2% |
| National average | 3.9% | 39.4% | 16.6% | 37.9% | 2.2% |
As you can see, the main difference between Scottish Power and the average supplier is that it sources around 10% more from natural gas than the average. Natural gas is a fossil fuel and though it does rely less on nuclear energy (which comes with its own problems) than other providers, we can’t say we approve of the trade-off.
Want a tariff that uses 100% renewable energy?You can read about green tariffs available on the UK market in our dedicated guide.
Scottish Power login
Customers can manage their energy using their Scottish Power login details by accessing their account either online via the provider’s website or by logging into its mobile app. If you have a smartphone, the app has all of the following features that you can use on-the-go:
- Find all of your key services within the app via the Home Screen.
- Get access to and control all your smart devices with Smart Home.
- Control your electric vehicle via the app, find the nearest charging point, as well as other key features.
- Change your tariff using the online tariff selector, changing to any other Scottish Power tariff without paying an exit fee.
- Use the app to stay in control of your monthly direct debits, using the management tool to view and adjust your payments to suit your needs.
- Keep an eye on your bills and usage throughout the year with its usage and bills graphs, and get energy efficiency tips to help you cut down.
- Enter your meter readings directly into the app.
- Get in touch with a customer service agent in the in-app chat function.
The app is available for download in both the Google Play store and the App Store, but receives better reviews for iOS than it does for Android. Apple users give it an average rating of 4 stars out of 5, whereas Google Play reviews average 2.9 stars.
For more information about managing your account, head over to the Scottish Power login page, where you’ll find all the information you need.
Help with your Scottish Power login
Having trouble using your Scottish Power login? If you’re a new customer and you haven’t set up your account yet, you’ll need to create one - you can do this by going to the provider’s login page and clicking the link that says ‘Register now’ under the ‘Log in’ button. You’ll need to provide a few details about your account to register, which you’ll find on one of your bills.
If you’ve forgotten your Scottish Power login details, you’ll need to click the link that reads ‘Forgotten password?’ to recover it. You’ll need to provide the email address that you signed up with so you can be sent a link, and if you don’t have it we would recommend getting in touch with Scottish Power directly to see if something can be done.
Scottish Power smart meter
Scottish Power is committed to rolling out smart meters in accordance with the government’s plan to have one fitted in all homes across the UK. It recommends getting a Scottish Power smart meter fitted for the simple reason that having one will make managing your energy easier. Here’s how:
- Their In-Home Display is easy to use and shows you your daily energy usage in pounds and pence.
- They take automatic meter readings so you’ll save time by not having to submit them yourself.
- Your data will be protected.
- They help you to save the environment by using energy-saving tips to bring down your carbon footprint.
- Your bills will be accurate and no longer just estimates, meaning you pay for exactly what you’ve used.
Scottish Power smart meters also come as pay as you go meters. You can find out more about all your smart meter options in the Scottish Power smart meter page, where they have a handy guide that should answer any questions you may have.
Scottish Power Warm Home Discount
The Scottish Power warm home discount is available to members of both the Core group and the Broader group. If you’re a member of the Core group, you should already have been notified by the government and you will receive your £140 discount automatically.
If you’re not a member of the Core group, you may still qualify as a member of the Broader group. Members of the Broader group must apply for the Scottish Power warm home discount every year regardless of whether they received it the previous year, and are not guaranteed to meet the criteria every year that they apply. It’s also given out on a first-come, first-served basis, so you’ll have to be quick.
In order to apply, see the Scottish Power warm home discount page, where you can go through the application process online. You can also give them a call to see if you’re eligible on 0800 027 0072.
Get in touch with Scottish Power: contact numbers
Looking for a Scottish Power contact number? You can find numbers for several different departments in the table below:
| Department | Scottish Power contact number | Opening hours |
|---|---|---|
| General inquiries (new customers) | 0800 027 0404 | Monday to Friday, 9am to 7pm |
| General inquiries (existing customers) | 0800 027 0072 | Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm; Saturdays 8.30am to 4pm |
| Complaints | 0800 074 1985 | Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 7pm; Saturdays 8.30am to 1pm |
| Business inquiries | 0800 224 400 | Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5.30pm; Friday 9am to 5pm |
If Scottish Power reviews are anything to go by, trying to get through to one of these numbers could be a stressful experience. If you’d rather not put yourself through it, you can contact the provider online via its online chat or by email at [email protected].
Looking for a number to use in case of an emergency?If you’re an Scottish Power customer and you want to report a gas emergency, the number to call is 0800 111 999, which is a 24-hour emergency line for customers of any provider. To report a power cut, call 105.