UK energy price cap: current rates and how to check your bill
The cap limits default-tariff unit rates and standing charges in Great Britain. Use the verified period summary below, then compare your own bill’s rates, region and dates.
Current verified GB average: 2026-10-01 to 2026-12-31
For a typical dual-fuel household paying by direct debit, Ofgem’s published annual headline is £1,723. It does not cap your own annual bill. Average electricity rates are 26.32p/kWh + 54.83p/day; gas is 7.97p/kWh + 29.68p/day. These are national averages, not the rate on every tariff or in every region.
Ofgem’s medium-use benchmark since 2026-07-01 is 2,500 kWh electricity and 9,500 kWh gas per year. Recalculating the headline from rounded national average rates can differ slightly from Ofgem’s published figure. Rate file checked 2026-09-28 · Ofgem unit rates · consumption decision. Use the split-period bill calculator when your bill crosses a change date.
What the price cap actually does
The energy price cap is not a promise that every household bill will stay below a single annual number. It sets maximum rates for the unit rate and standing charge on standard variable tariffs. Your own bill still depends on how much energy you use, your payment method, meter type and region.
The typical annual figure is a benchmark built around Ofgem’s current “typical domestic consumption” assumptions. It is useful for context, but it is not proof that your bill is wrong if you pay more or proof that it is right if you pay less.
When the cap helps in a dispute
- When you need to check whether a stated unit rate or standing charge looks far outside normal standard-variable cap ranges.
- When you need the official region tables for your payment method.
- When you are trying to separate a tariff-rate issue from a usage or meter-reading issue.
What the cap does not tell you
- Whether the meter reading on your bill is correct.
- Whether the billing period or days billed are correct.
- Whether a direct debit level is fair for your account balance and future usage.
- Whether a catch-up bill is restricted by back-billing protections.
Unit rate vs standing charge
Understand the two charges before comparing against cap tables.
Electricity price per kWh
See which price to compare and why single headline numbers can mislead.
Average electricity usage
Use averages as context, not proof.
Average gas usage
See why typical use and your real property can differ sharply.
Direct debit calculator
Sense-check the monthly payment separately from the tariff.
Bill dispute guide
Use the complaint route only after isolating the real cause.
What the cap does, in one table
Half the arguments about energy bills come from misunderstanding this, so it is worth being blunt.
| The cap does | The cap does not |
|---|---|
| Limit the unit rate (p/kWh) on a default or standard variable tariff | Limit your total bill |
| Limit the standing charge (p/day) | Apply to fixed-term tariffs you chose |
| Vary by region, payment method and meter type | Guarantee everyone pays the same |
| Change every three months | Stay still long enough to memorise |
| Apply in England, Scotland and Wales | Apply in Northern Ireland |
The annual headline is not a bill limit. At the July–September 2026 average rates, 2,700 kWh electricity plus 11,500 kWh gas and a full year of standing charges calculate to £1,862.66. That uses older consumption assumptions and is not Ofgem’s revised £1,663 headline. Use the rates and your own kWh instead.
When a bill crosses a change
Use each set of rates for its own days and kWh. The split-period bill calculator shows the arithmetic and creates a downloadable breakdown.
Price cap rates by region, 1 July to 30 September 2026
Dated 1 July–30 September 2026 direct-debit rates. The annual examples below apply 2,700 kWh electricity and 11,500 kWh gas to each set of rates. Those were the older consumption assumptions; the resulting ~£1,862 national calculation is not Ofgem’s revised £1,663 typical-use headline. Compare rates and periods, not these example totals, with a current bill.
| Region | Electricity p/kWh | Elec standing p/day | Gas p/kWh | Gas standing p/day | Illustrative year older usage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Midlands cheapest | 25.10p | 53.60p | 7.19p | 28.78p | £1,805 |
| North West | 26.13p | 47.61p | 7.24p | 29.17p | £1,818 |
| West Midlands | 25.33p | 59.71p | 7.27p | 29.06p | £1,844 |
| London | 26.35p | 44.78p | 7.50p | 29.52p | £1,845 |
| Eastern | 26.38p | 53.94p | 7.26p | 28.70p | £1,849 |
| Northern (North East) | 25.22p | 64.29p | 7.28p | 29.15p | £1,859 |
| Yorkshire | 25.31p | 64.38p | 7.27p | 29.12p | £1,861 |
| Northern Scotland | 26.42p | 57.55p | 7.23p | 29.22p | £1,862 |
| Southern | 26.42p | 49.70p | 7.53p | 28.53p | £1,865 |
| Southern Scotland | 25.85p | 64.17p | 7.23p | 29.24p | £1,870 |
| South East | 26.67p | 54.45p | 7.39p | 28.63p | £1,873 |
| South Wales | 26.33p | 57.84p | 7.42p | 29.30p | £1,882 |
| South West | 26.39p | 57.89p | 7.48p | 28.68p | £1,889 |
| Merseyside, North Wales & Cheshire dearest | 27.66p | 70.76p | 7.28p | 29.42p | £1,950 |
| GB average average rates, old-use example | 26.11p | 57.19p | 7.33p | 29.04p | £1,862 |
Annual examples: 2,700 kWh electricity plus 11,500 kWh gas over 365 days at the July–September 2026 regional rates. These are dated illustrations under the older usage assumptions, not Ofgem’s revised benchmark. Rates checked 20 August 2026; use Ofgem’s latest regional tables for a current bill.
The spread is £144 a year. Same usage, same cap, different postcode. East Midlands is the cheapest region for a typical dual-fuel household and Merseyside, North Wales and Cheshire the most expensive — and the gap is almost entirely in the electricity standing charge, which runs from 44.78p a day in London to 70.76p in Merseyside, North Wales and Cheshire. That is £95 a year of difference before anyone switches a light on.
Checking your own bill line by line
Five minutes with the bill and a calculator settles most “this looks wrong” questions, and it gives you something concrete to quote if it turns out it is wrong.
Units used
Closing reading minus opening reading. For gas in m³ the bill converts to kWh for you — use the kWh figure.
Unit cost
Units × unit rate in pence, ÷ 100. Use the rate printed on the bill, not a headline figure.
Standing charge
Days in the billing period × p/day, ÷ 100. Use the billed day count; do not double-count a boundary shared by consecutive periods.
A worked check
| Line | Working | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Opening reading, 1 July | 38,412 | |
| Closing reading, 1 October | 39,048 | |
| Units used | 39,048 − 38,412 | 636 kWh |
| Unit cost | 636 × 26.11p ÷ 100 | £166.06 |
| Days billed | 1 July to 1 October (end excluded) | 92 days |
| Standing charge | 92 × 57.19p ÷ 100 | £52.61 |
| Total before VAT adjustments | £218.67 |
Check VAT treatment. The Ofgem rates above already include applicable tax. From 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027, domestic electricity VAT is 0% in Great Britain, while gas stays at 5%; Northern Ireland electricity remains 5%. If your bill shows rates before tax, compare like with like. A rate change can also split the bill into separate day and usage lines.
If your arithmetic and theirs differ by more than a pound or two, ask for the calculation in writing. Use the bill from meter reading calculator to do this without the mental arithmetic.
Frequently asked questions
What was the July–September 2026 price cap?
Ofgem’s revised typical-use headline was £1,663 for a GB dual-fuel direct-debit household. The July national average rates were 26.11p/kWh and 57.19p/day for electricity, and 7.33p/kWh and 29.04p/day for gas. See the dated summary above for the current period.
How do I check the next price-cap period?
Ofgem publishes rates by period, region, payment method and meter type. Use the linked official table before comparing a bill.
Does the cap apply to my fixed tariff?
No. The cap applies to default and standard variable tariffs. If you chose a fixed-term deal, its rates are what you agreed, and they may be above or below the cap.
My bill exceeds the annual headline. Is it wrong?
Not necessarily. The headline describes benchmark usage, not a personal limit. Check your meter readings, kWh, unit rates, standing charges and days.
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