Tomato Energy ceased trading on 5 November 2025, and British Gas has been appointed by Ofgem to take on its customers1. The Energy Ombudsman states that it is not accepting any new disputes about the company as a result1. The Energy Shop reports that Ofgem announced the appointment on 10 November 2025, covering 15,000 Tomato Energy customers4.
The failure is the second of 2025. Rebel Energy ceased trading on 1 April 2025, with around 90,000 customers transferred to British Gas1. The Energy Shop describes the collapse of Rebel Energy as ending "a long lull in supplier failures, with the last occurrence dating back to early 2022"4. Which? attributes the Tomato Energy failure to the company "finding its rapid growth unsustainable"5.
The Energy Ombudsman's page on British Gas disputes sets out the position for customers with an existing complaint:
"Tomato Energy ceased trading on 05 November 2025. As a result, we are not accepting any new disputes about the company. British Gas has been appointed by Ofgem to take on Tomato Energy customers."
The Ombudsman adds that anyone who raised a dispute about Tomato Energy before the company ceased trading will receive a written update as soon as possible1. Complaints about the service provided by British Gas as the new supplier should go to British Gas in the first instance1.
Recent supplier failures and the appointments that followed:
| Old supplier | New supplier | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Tomato Energy | British Gas | November 20256 |
| Rebel Energy | British Gas | April 20256 |
| Shell Energy | Octopus Energy | December 20236 |
| Bulb | Octopus Energy | December 20226 |
| Together Energy | British Gas | January 20226 |
Sources differ on the exact date recorded for Tomato Energy's cessation. The Energy Ombudsman, Which? and EDF give 5 November 20251, while Citizens Advice records the change as November 2025 without a day6. The Energy Shop gives 05/11/2025 for the failure and 10 November 2025 for Ofgem's announcement of the appointment4.
Why it matters for households
A supplier failure does not interrupt gas or electricity supply. Ofgem's Supplier of Last Resort process moves the account to a new supplier chosen by the regulator, and EDF states that supply continues without interruption and that customers do not need to contact anyone3. Credit balances are protected and will either transfer to the new account or be repaid3.
The practical change is the tariff. EDF states that an old tariff will probably end and the household will be placed on a "deemed" contract with the new supplier, normally a standard variable tariff covered by the price cap, and that deemed tariffs can be more expensive than what was paid before3. No exit fee applies if a household later switches away3. Ofgem's advice, as reported by EDF, is not to cancel a Direct Debit, because doing so risks building up debt3.
For a home's energy independence, the event changes who holds the account and which terms apply, not the physical supply. Meter readings taken at the point of failure support an accurate final bill and correct opening readings on the new account3. Households with a Smart Export Guarantee tariff are in a different position: EDF states that a new export tariff is not appointed on a customer's behalf and that the household is responsible for finding one to keep receiving payments3.
What happens next
The Energy Ombudsman will provide a written update to anyone who raised a dispute about Tomato Energy before it ceased trading1. New disputes about Tomato Energy are not being accepted1. Complaints about British Gas as the new supplier follow the standard route: eight weeks with the supplier, or a deadlock letter, before the Ombudsman can review a case1. Further detail on how complaints escalate is set out in the site's guide to energy complaints and redress, and the wider pattern of collapses is covered in energy supplier failures.
Sources6 cited
- British Gas Complaints: Raise a dispute… | Energy Ombudsman, energyombudsman.org
- Best Energy Suppliers 2026: Which? Energy Company Survey Results - Which?, which.co.uk
- What happens if my energy supplier goes bust? | EDF, edfenergy.com
- Which energy suppliers have gone bust? | The Energy Shop, theenergyshop.com
- How to choose the best energy supplier - Which?, which.co.uk
- Check who's taken over your energy supply - Citizens Advice, citizensadvice.org.uk