BRITISH Gas is the UK’s biggest energy supplier and has its origins in the early 1800s.
But who owns it now, and when was it founded? Here’s all you need to know.
Who owns British Gas?
British Gas is the name that British Gas Services Limited and British Gas New Heating Limited trade under.
The provider is a subsidiary of energy and services company Centrica PLC.
Centrica are a multinational company headquartered in Windsor, Berkshire.
The firm is a FTSE 100 constituent, and is listed on the London Stock Exchange.
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Centrica formed after British Gas split into three separate companies in the second half of the 90s.
When was British Gas privatised?
British Gas is a giant in the energy market and is among the so-called “Big Six” energy suppliers in the UK.
The other companies are EDF Energy, E.ON, npower, Scottish Power and SSE.
Historically, these have been Britain’s biggest energy firms but mergers and acquisitions over recent years have changed the look of the old order.
British Gas was originally publicly owned until 1986, when it was privatised by the Conservative government under then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
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The first parts of the UK electricity sector were transferred to private ownership in late 1990, when England and Wales‘ regional electricity firms were sold.
After that, Scottish Industry also moved to the private sector, as well as electricity generating companies the National Grid, National Power and Powergen.
When was British Gas founded?
The origins of the country date all the way back to 1812 and the Gas Light and Coke company.
British Gas PLC was formed in 1986 when the British Gas Corporation was privatised.
In 1997, it became defunct, and underwent a “demerger”, splitting into separate firms.
British Gas as we now know it was therefore founded in 1997.
