Electricity price per kWh in the UK: what to compare
When people search for “electricity cost per kWh”, they often want one neat number. Real billing is messier. The price you should compare depends on region, payment method, tariff type and the time period of the bill.
Why a single national number misleads
Two households can both be on standard variable tariffs and still see different-looking charges because the comparison context is different. That is why generic “UK electricity price per kWh” articles are weak if they do not explain region tables and tariff periods.
Related guides
The better comparison method
- Read the unit rate on your bill.
- Check which period the statement covers.
- Check whether the bill spans a tariff change.
- Use the official current region tables if you need external validation.
Official and reference sources
Frequently asked questions
Is there one correct UK electricity price per kWh?
No. Comparison depends on tariff type, payment method, region and time period.
Should I use the price cap figure instead of my bill rate?
Use your bill rate first, then use the cap tables for context if you are on a standard variable tariff.
Why does the total still feel high when the unit rate seems normal?
Standing charge, billed days and usage volume can still drive the total up.
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.
What 26.11p per kWh means in practice
A unit rate is an abstraction until you attach it to something you actually do. At the current GB average electricity rate:
| Activity | Roughly | Cost at 26.11p |
|---|---|---|
| Boiling a full kettle | 0.11 kWh | 2.9p |
| One load of washing at 40 °C | 0.8 kWh | 21p |
| Tumble dryer cycle | 2.5 kWh | 65p |
| Electric oven, one hour | 2.0 kWh | 52p |
| Electric shower, 10 minutes | 1.5 kWh | 39p |
| Fridge-freezer, a full day | 1.0 kWh | 26p |
| 2kW fan heater, 4 hours a day for a month | 240 kWh | £62.66 |
| Immersion heater, 2 hours a day for a month | 180 kWh | £47.00 |
| EV, 200 miles a week for a month | ~230 kWh | £60.05 |
Approximate. Appliance ratings vary considerably; check the label on yours. Used here to show orders of magnitude, not to price your specific kettle.
The two rows in bold are where high bills come from. Nobody's bill doubles because of kettles. It doubles because of electric heating, electric hot water or an EV — loads measured in hundreds of kWh a month rather than fractions of one.
What actually moves a household's usage
Before deciding a bill is wrong, it is worth knowing what a genuine increase looks like. These are the loads that produce a step change rather than a drift:
| Change | Rough annual effect | At cap rates |
|---|---|---|
| Electric immersion heater used daily instead of gas hot water | +1,000–2,000 kWh electricity | +£260 to £520 |
| One extra adult at home full time | +400–700 kWh electricity, +1,000–2,000 kWh gas | +£180 to £330 |
| Electric vehicle, average mileage | +2,000–3,000 kWh electricity | +£520 to £780 on a standard rate |
| Tumble dryer used several times a week | +300–500 kWh electricity | +£78 to £131 |
| Thermostat up by 1 °C all winter | +600–1,000 kWh gas | +£44 to £73 |
| A dehumidifier running most of the winter | +300–600 kWh electricity | +£78 to £157 |
| A colder-than-average winter | +5–15% on gas | +£42 to £126 |
Ranges, deliberately. Real figures depend on the appliance, the property and how it is used. The point is the order of magnitude: if your bill rose by £500 and none of these applies, that is worth investigating. If you got an EV in March, it does not need investigating.
If nothing on this list explains your increase, work through why the bill is high and check the readings before assuming a meter fault.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average cost per kWh of electricity in the UK?
26.11p per kWh for direct debit customers on capped default tariffs from 1 July to 30 September 2026, including VAT. By region it ranges from 25.10p in the East Midlands to 27.66p in Merseyside, North Wales and Cheshire.
Why does my bill show a different rate?
Three usual reasons: you are in a different region from the national average, you are on a fixed tariff rather than a capped default one, or your bill quotes rates excluding VAT and adds 5% at the end. Check which.
Does the unit rate include the standing charge?
No, they are separate. At average capped rates the standing charges alone are £314.74 a year across gas and electricity, before you use anything.