British Gas referral code 2026: how it works, and how it compares

Affiliate disclosure: this guide links to our tested Octopus Energy and E.ON Next referral links. If you use one, both you and I get the reward described (£50 Octopus bill credit, or a £50 E.ON Next voucher). It never changes the price you pay. British Gas doesn't pay us anything: their scheme is described here from their own published terms.

If you're searching for a British Gas referral code, here's the honest answer up front: British Gas does run a refer-a-friend scheme in 2026, but there's no code you type in at sign-up. The reward is tracked through a personalised link that an existing British Gas customer sends you, so you need to know someone who's already with them. I've never been a British Gas customer myself, so everything below comes from British Gas's published refer-a-friend terms (opens in new tab) and public sources, not personal use.

This guide explains what the scheme pays, how to actually get a link, and how the British Gas offer stacks up against switching to Octopus Energy or E.ON Next, where we can point you at a referral we've tested.

Does British Gas have a referral code you can enter?

No. British Gas uses a personalised referral link, not a generic code you paste in at checkout. If a friend or family member is already a British Gas customer, they'll find their unique link inside their British Gas online account, under the refer-a-friend section, and send it to you. When you switch using that link, both of you qualify for the reward.

That means two things worth being clear about:

• If a website is advertising a "British Gas referral code" as a string you can type, treat it with suspicion. The real scheme runs on tracked links, not typed codes.
• If you don't already know a British Gas customer, you can't self-serve a British Gas referral. There's no public link that pays out. That's the point where switching to a supplier with an open referral (like Octopus or E.ON Next) becomes the practical alternative.

What the British Gas refer-a-friend scheme pays

British Gas splits its energy reward by fuel, and runs a separate reward for boilers:

• Dual-fuel switch (gas and electricity): £50, paid as £25 for the gas switch plus £25 for the electricity switch.
• Single-fuel switch (gas only or electricity only): £25. You only get the full £50 if you move both fuels.
• New boiler referral: £100, offered as a £100 Amazon voucher, a £100 PayPal payment, or a £50 Hive voucher.

The energy reward is paid as gift vouchers, typically Amazon, rather than credit on your energy bill. British Gas pays out once you've been a customer for a qualifying period (up to 90 days after the switch, per their scheme), and there's no limit on how many people you can refer, provided you and each friend meet the terms.

So on the headline number, a British Gas dual-fuel referral matches what Octopus and E.ON Next pay: £50. The differences are in the detail, which is where it gets interesting.

British Gas referral vs switching to Octopus or E.ON Next

Here's the like-for-like comparison, using our tested figures for Octopus and E.ON Next and British Gas's published terms:

Trustpilot scores move over time; the figures above were correct when this guide was last updated. The pattern behind them has been stable for years: Octopus and E.ON Next sit above the legacy big suppliers on independent satisfaction measures.

Three practical differences stand out:

1. You can self-serve Octopus and E.ON Next. Both pay out through a tracked link that anyone can use, including the one on our referral pages. British Gas needs a link from someone who's already a customer.
2. Octopus pays as bill credit; British Gas pays a voucher up to 90 days later. If you'd rather see the money knock money off your energy account than wait a quarter for an Amazon code, Octopus is the cleaner deal.
3. The dual-fuel gate only applies to British Gas. Octopus and E.ON Next pay the full £50 whether you move one fuel or both.

Which is the better switch in 2026?

If a friend is already with British Gas and you're happy to be a British Gas customer, their referral is a legitimate £50, and there's nothing wrong with taking it. British Gas is the most familiar energy brand in the country and, as part of Centrica, one of the most established.

But if you're choosing who to switch to on the merits, the referral is a one-off and the supplier is what you live with afterwards. On that basis:

• Octopus Energy is our pick for most households: the same £50, paid as bill credit after your first direct debit, the highest Trustpilot score of any large UK supplier, and a Which? Recommended Provider for nine years running. Full current terms and the tested link are on the Octopus Energy referral code page.
• E.ON Next is the strong alternative, especially if you'd prefer a retail voucher you can spend at M&S, Sainsbury's or Argos, or you're an EV owner eyeing its 9p/kWh overnight Next Drive tariff. It was the best-rated large supplier in the 2026 Which? survey. The scheme is on the E.ON Next referral page.

If you specifically want to weigh British Gas against E.ON Next head to head, we've done that in detail in E.ON Next vs British Gas referral.

British Gas referral FAQs

Does British Gas have a referral code I can type in?

No. British Gas's scheme runs on a personalised link sent by an existing customer, not a generic code you enter at sign-up. If someone offers you a British Gas "code" as a typed string, it isn't how the official scheme works. Ask an existing British Gas customer for their referral link instead.

How much is the British Gas referral reward?

£50 for a dual-fuel switch, paid as £25 for gas plus £25 for electricity. A single-fuel switch (gas only or electricity only) pays £25. Referring someone for a new boiler pays £100, as an Amazon voucher, a PayPal payment, or a £50 Hive voucher.

How long does the British Gas referral take to pay?

Up to 90 days after the switch completes, per British Gas's scheme, and it's paid as a gift voucher rather than bill credit. For comparison, Octopus applies its £50 credit after your first direct debit, and E.ON Next sends its voucher about four weeks after your first direct debit.

Can I get a British Gas referral if I don't know an existing customer?

Not through the official scheme, no: there's no public British Gas link that pays out. If you don't have a friend already with British Gas, switching to a supplier with an open referral is the practical route to a sign-up reward. Both Octopus Energy and E.ON Next pay £50 through a tested link that anyone can use.

Is British Gas or Octopus Energy better for switching?

They pay the same £50 headline reward, but Octopus pays it as bill credit (versus a voucher up to 90 days later), doesn't need a dual-fuel switch to pay in full, and rates higher on every independent satisfaction measure: 4.8 on Trustpilot to British Gas's 4.4, and Which? Recommended for nine years running. For most households switching in 2026, Octopus is the stronger choice.

You might also like

• E.ON Next vs British Gas referral: which gives you more?
• Octopus Energy vs E.ON Next referral: which gives you more?
• Who is cheaper than Octopus Energy?

Useful links (official resources)

• British Gas refer-a-friend terms: https://www.britishgas.co.uk/offers/refer-a-friend.html (opens in new tab)
• Ofgem energy supplier comparison: https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-for-household-consumers/energy-company-and-tariff-comparison (opens in new tab)
• Citizens Advice energy guidance: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/energy/ (opens in new tab)

British Gas runs a real £50 referral, but you need a link from an existing customer, and the reward is a voucher that can take up to 90 days. If you'd rather have a £50 that lands as bill credit from the best-rated large supplier in the country, the tested link and current terms are on the Octopus Energy referral code page.

Get your Octopus Energy £50 referral here (opens in new tab) | Get your E.ON Next £50 voucher here (opens in new tab)