Energy price cap
The price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026 is £1,723 a year for a home with typical use paying by Direct Debit. Work out what it means for yours below.
Ofgem's published prices are rounded, so the same home comes to £1,724 in our calculator. Ofgem sets the cap every three months. The next cap starts on 1 January 2027. Prices checked 13 November 2026.
Result
At the price cap for October to December 2026, this home would pay £1,724 a year for gas and electricity.
a year, to the nearest pound
| A month, on average | £143.63 |
|---|
- Electricity you use £658.00 (38%)
- Electricity standing charge £200.13 (12%)
- Gas you use £757.15 (44%)
- Gas standing charge £108.33 (6%)
| July to September 2026 | £1,664 |
|---|---|
| Now: October to December 2026 | £1,724 |
Compared with July to September 2026, that is £59.77 a year more.
Ofgem says there is no VAT on electricity from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027, so costs cannot be compared directly with earlier periods.
Show the workings
| Step | Sum | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity you use | 2,500 kWh × 26.32p | £658.00 |
| Electricity standing charge | 365 days × 54.83p | £200.13 |
| Gas you use | 9,500 kWh × 7.97p | £757.15 |
| Gas standing charge | 365 days × 29.68p | £108.33 |
| Total for the year | £658.00 + £200.13 + £757.15 + £108.33 | £1,724 |
What this leaves out or assumes
- Prices stay the same all year. The price cap changes every three months, so your real bill will differ.
- You are on a standard variable tariff priced at the cap. A fixed deal has its own prices.
- Gas prices include VAT. Ofgem's cap prices are the most a supplier can charge.
Where the figures come from
- Electricity unit rate, price cap, Great Britain average, Direct Debit: 26.32p per kWh. Source: Ofgem: Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges. Checked 13 November 2026.
- Electricity standing charge, price cap, Great Britain average, Direct Debit: 54.83p a day. Source: Ofgem: Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges. Checked 13 November 2026.
- Gas unit rate, price cap, Great Britain average, Direct Debit: 7.97p per kWh. Source: Ofgem: Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges. Checked 13 November 2026.
- Gas standing charge, price cap, Great Britain average, Direct Debit: 29.68p a day. Source: Ofgem: Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges. Checked 13 November 2026.
- Typical yearly electricity use, medium user: 2,500 kWh a year. Source: Ofgem: Review of typical domestic consumption values, decision (Table 1). Checked 13 November 2026.
- Typical yearly gas use, medium user: 9,500 kWh a year. Source: Ofgem: Review of typical domestic consumption values, decision (Table 1). Checked 13 November 2026.
What the price cap limits
The cap is set by Ofgem, the energy regulator. It is the most a supplier can charge for each kWh of gas and electricity and for the daily standing charge. It does not limit your total bill: the more energy you use, the more you pay.
It protects people on a standard variable tariff. It does not cover a fixed tariff, a business contract, heat from a heat network, or heating oil.
Ofgem says there is no VAT on electricity from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027, so costs cannot be compared directly with earlier periods.
Prices under the cap
Average for Great Britain. Prices in your region are different: find yours by postcode.
| Fuel | July to September 2026 | October to December 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity, per kWh | 26.11p | 26.32p |
| Electricity, a day | 57.19p | 54.83p |
| Electricity, multi-rate meter, per kWh | 24.44p | 24.90p |
| Electricity, multi-rate meter, a day | 56.95p | 54.62p |
| Gas, per kWh | 7.33p | 7.97p |
| Gas, a day | 29.04p | 29.68p |
| Fuel | July to September 2026 | October to December 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity, per kWh | 27.56p | 27.80p |
| Electricity, a day | 65.74p | 63.49p |
| Electricity, multi-rate meter, per kWh | 25.79p | 26.29p |
| Electricity, multi-rate meter, a day | 65.67p | 63.41p |
| Gas, per kWh | 7.71p | 8.39p |
| Gas, a day | 36.69p | 37.49p |
| Fuel | July to September 2026 | October to December 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity, per kWh | 25.32p | 25.52p |
| Electricity, a day | 57.19p | 54.83p |
| Electricity, multi-rate meter, per kWh | 23.70p | 24.14p |
| Electricity, multi-rate meter, a day | 56.95p | 54.62p |
| Gas, per kWh | 7.07p | 7.70p |
| Gas, a day | 29.04p | 29.68p |
Gas prices include 5% VAT. Source: Ofgem: Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges.
How the cap has changed
A home with Ofgem's typical use (2,500 kWh of electricity and 9,500 kWh of gas a year), paying by Direct Debit:
| Period | A year | A month |
|---|---|---|
| October to December 2026 | £1,724 | £143.63 |
| July to September 2026 | £1,664 | £138.65 |
These are our sums from Ofgem's published prices; Ofgem's own figure for October to December 2026 is £1,723. Ofgem's prices are rounded to two decimal places, so the totals can differ by a pound. We add each new period on the day Ofgem publishes it. See every rule and price change.