See if you could save on your energy bill

On 1 July 2026 the Ofgem energy price cap rises by 13.5 per cent to £1,862 per year for a typical dual fuel household paying by direct debit. That is an extra £221 on the annual bill for anyone on a standard variable tariff. The cap does not limit your total bill. It sets the maximum unit rate and standing charge your supplier can apply. Use more than the typical amount and you pay more than £1,862.

Fixed tariffs from several suppliers are currently priced below the July cap. The gap between the cheapest available fixed deal and the cap rate is approximately £260 per year for a typical household. That gap exists because suppliers set fixed tariff prices based on wholesale market conditions at the time they design the product, and current wholesale prices allow some suppliers to offer rates below the cap.

Whether fixing makes sense for your household depends on your current tariff, your usage, and what you think happens to wholesale prices over the next 12 months. Cornwall Insight, the energy consultancy whose quarterly forecasts are widely cited, puts the October 2026 cap at approximately £1,899. If that holds, a household on a fixed deal at £1,632 today would pay less across both quarters combined than one that stays on the variable rate.

Switching takes around five minutes to compare and five working days to complete. Your supply does not stop. The same pipes and wires deliver your gas and electricity. Only the billing company changes.