British Gas cut electricity prices by 6% and gas by 3% last month

Scottish & Southern Energy was ranked best supplier, while Scottish Power was the only firm to see its rating drop.

British Gas said the poll of 6,522 people by comparison website Uswitch was "misleading", as it was carried out before its latest price cuts in April.

Overall consumers were slightly happier with their suppliers than in 2006, with 60% "satisfied" against 52% last time.

And while British Gas came bottom of the customer satisfaction league, the volume of customers happy with its service was up 11% on last year.

Customer service

A British Gas spokesman said: "This survey is misleading as it was carried out before our second price cut.

SUPPLIER SATISFACTION TABLE Scottish & Southern Energy EDF Energy Powergen Scottish Power Npower British Gas

"We have the cheapest dual fuel tariff on the market - not only are we the cheapest, we are the greenest - with the lowest emissions of all major UK energy suppliers."

He added the firm was investing to improve customer service, and this was having results.

"Even Uswitch's flawed survey shows British Gas is not bottom for customer service," he said.

Meanwhile, only 45% of householders quizzed believed the major energy suppliers gave value for money.

"Suppliers are not pushing the right buttons for consumers," said Uswitch consumer policy director Ann Robinson.

"Even with prices coming down, only 45% of customers think they are getting value for money - nowhere near enough."