BRITISH Gas is the UK's largest energy supplier and has its origins in the early 1800s.
The company provides gas and electricity to over 9million UK households.
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 British Gas Services Limited and British Gas New Heating Limited trade under.
The provider is a subsidiary of the energy and services company Centrica PLC.
Centrica is a multinational company headquartered in Windsor, Berkshire.
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The firm is a FTSE 100 constituent and is listed on the London Stock Exchange.
Centrica was 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 E.ON, Ovo Energy, EDF Energy and Scottish Power.
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British Gas was originally publicly owned until 1986, when the Conservative government privatised it under Margaret Thatcher.
The first parts of the UK electricity sector were transferred to private ownership in late 1990s, when England and Wales' regional electricity firms were sold.
After that, the Scottish energy industry also moved into the private sector as well as electricity generating companies including National Grid, National Power and Powergen.
When was British Gas founded?
The origins of the company 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.
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