The OVO Energy E.ON Next merger was signed on 11 May after months of speculation. E.ON Next acquires OVO Energy's UK retail business, covering 4 million household accounts alongside the staff who serve them.
The OVO Energy E.ON Next deal also splits OVO's home services arm, with Hometree absorbing boiler cover under a separate transaction.
If regulators clear the OVO Energy E.ON Next 2026 deal, E.ON Next becomes the UK's largest energy supplier, with Octopus at around 6 million households dropping to second place. The E.ON OVO takeover 2026 is the most consequential step in UK energy supplier consolidation since the 2021-22 crisis.
We covered the talks in the SwitchInsights pre-merger briefing; this follow-up tracks what happens for OVO Energy customers as the CMA energy merger review begins.
How SwitchInsights tracked this merger: the facts here are from the joint E.ON-OVO announcement on 11 May 2026, OVO's published financial position, and the CMA's standard Phase 1/2 timeline. We'll update as the CMA opens new phases, either side files remedies, or the deal closes (or falls apart).
The CMA review timeline
A deal combining the second and third largest UK retail suppliers will not clear quickly, which is why the timeline below maps how the CMA review usually plays out.
E.ON SE and OVO Group announced the acquisition; both run separately until completion.
About 40 working days from notification; outcomes are clear, remedies, or refer to Phase 2.
A deeper investigation, up to 24 weeks; the CMA cannot rule it out at this scale.
Both parties expect completion in H2 2026; systems and branding integration follow.
Why the CMA may look hard at this: the combined 9.6m-customer supplier becomes the UK's largest, weighed against easy switching, 20+ active suppliers, and both E.ON Next and OVO losing share to Octopus.
OVO vs E.ON Next: at-a-glance comparison
What happens to OVO Energy customers
What happens to OVO Energy customers is the most-asked question since 11 May; the short answer is that nothing changes immediately while the CMA review runs.
Is OVO Energy closing? No - E.ON Next buying OVO Energy is an acquisition, not an administration; the retail business keeps trading until the E.ON Next OVO Energy merger completes, when the OVO Energy to E.ON Next migration begins.
Your tariff is protected - for now
E.ON honours existing OVO tariffs until they expire, after which customers roll onto whatever terms apply, possibly under the E.ON Next brand.
The OVO app keeps working - for a while
The OVO app stays live until completion, then phases out as accounts move to E.ON Next, with both suppliers running on Kaluza, which simplifies the migration.
OVO Hometree home services split
The OVO Hometree home services deal sits separately from the E.ON acquisition, with boiler cover transferring in summer 2026 automatically.
E.ON Next customers and the Kaluza split
For existing E.ON Next customers the direct impact is minimal - tariffs, debits and service do not change while the OVO Energy to E.ON Next migration of 4 million accounts plays out across 2026-27.
Kaluza is not part of the deal; the Kaluza E.ON OVO arrangement stays as a platform licence, with Kaluza remaining inside OVO Group as a separate business.
The SwitchInsights take
The combination makes commercial sense: OVO struggled to grow profitably, and scale lets E.ON compete with Octopus. Variable-tariff customers, meanwhile, are almost certainly overpaying compared with available fixes.
Should you switch now?
There is no urgent reason to switch purely because of the merger, given that customer rights and tariff terms hold throughout the regulatory review. The Q3 price cap announcement on 27 May 2026 may shift pricing, so SwitchPilot's tariff tracker is worth checking now.
OVO E.ON merger: FAQ
Will my OVO energy tariff change because of the merger?
No, existing OVO tariffs are honoured until they expire, after which customers roll onto whatever terms apply, possibly under the E.ON Next brand.
OVO customers what happens next?
E.ON and OVO expect close in H2 2026, subject to CMA clearance; the timeline for the OVO to E.ON Next migration is not yet confirmed.
Will the OVO app still work after the merger?
Yes, until completion, after which it phases out during migration; both suppliers run on Kaluza, which simplifies the transition.
What happens to my OVO boiler cover after the merger?
OVO sold home services to Hometree under a separate transaction, with boiler cover transferring in summer 2026 automatically.
Is OVO going out of business?
No, E.ON Next acquires OVO Energy under a regulated transaction rather than an administration; the retail business continues until completion.
OVO vs E.ON Next: which is better for customers?
The SwitchInsights pre-merger briefing covers both; OVO leads on technology while E.ON Next leads on service reliability.
How long will the CMA review of the OVO E.ON merger take?
CMA Phase 1 takes about 40 working days from notification; substantive concerns can trigger a Phase 2 investigation of up to 24 weeks.