OFGEM announces that the energy price cap will rise by 2% from October

Energy regulator Ofgem has today (Wednesday 27 August 2025) announced a 2% rise of the energy price cap for the period covering October to December 2025.    

The price cap (the tariff you default to if you're not on a fixed tariff) – which sets a maximum rate per unit and standing charge that can be billed to customers for their energy use – will rise by around £2.93 a month for the average household. This means that from October to December, a typical household on a default tariff will pay £102 for what currently costs £100 per month. 

Latest figures show more than a third of customers (37%) are now on fixed tariffs, which means they are protected from the upcoming rise. The regulator continues to urge people to shop around and consider if a fixed tariff will work for them, as there are options on the market which will save money against the new price cap. 

Tim Jarvis, Director General, Markets at Ofgem, said:  

“While there is still more to do, we are seeing signs of a healthier market. There are more people on fixed tariffs saving themselves money, switching is rising as options for consumers increase, and we've seen increases in customer satisfaction, alongside a reduction in complaints. 

“While today's change is below inflation, we know customers might not be feeling it in their pockets. There are things you can do though – consider a fixed tariff as this could save more than £200 against the new cap. Paying by direct debit or smart pay as you go could also save you money. 

“In the longer term, we will continue to see fluctuations in our energy prices until we are insulated from volatile international gas markets. That's why we continue to work with government and the sector to diversify our energy mix to reduce the reliance on markets we do not control.”  

Shopping around for a fixed tariff has the potential to save some consumers more than £200 compared to the upcoming price cap level. 

Changing payment methods from standard credit to Direct Debit can also help reduce costs. Currently 8 million customers pay by standard credit but could be making savings of £135.60 with one simple switch. 

Ofgem has also introduced rules to ensure anyone struggling with their bills gets the help they need from their supplier. That could include tailored repayment plans, which can help households regain control and avoid falling further behind, or providing emergency credit to reduce the risk of self-disconnection. 

Year on year when adjusted for inflation the cap is 0.9% lower than the same period in 2024. 

For an average household paying by Direct Debit for gas and electricity, the overall bill will be £1,755 per year. This is £625 (26.3%) lower than the height of the energy crisis at the start of 2023 when the government implemented the energy price guarantee. 

A small increase in both network and policy costs contribute to the £2.93 a month addition to the price cap from October to December. These costs ensure our network remains stable and secure; power reaches households and businesses; and helps people in fuel poverty get the essential support they need. 

Earlier this year Ofgem gave provisional approval to £24 billion of investment to upgrade the system and boost capacity, reducing the need for these costs in the long term. 

ENDS 

Notes to Editors

1. The price cap rise is driven by an increase in electricity balancing costs - adding around £1.23 a month to the average household bill. These cover the costs incurred by network operators to ensure a stable electricity supply, for when there is both too much power and too little power in the system, with the level set by the National Electricity System Operator.

2. Other factors include costs associated with the extension of the Warm Home Discount (WHD) scheme (£1.42 a month). Looking forward, the WHD and forthcoming Debt Relief Scheme are important first steps to reduce the costs of bad debt by focusing support on those struggling to pay their bills and with historical debts from the energy crisis. 

3. We will shortly be announcing the next steps on our debt strategy which aims to reduce the overall levels of household energy debt and brings the debt allowance in the cap down to pre-crisis levels offsetting the impact of costs associated with the WHD and Debt Relief Scheme over time. Other recent changes to the price cap have reduced costs for consumers. For example, the review of operating costs reduced the price cap by £1.79 per month from July this year.

4. Adjustments to gas network costs are adding to the price rise (72p a month). These are fixed costs paid by suppliers and recovered through customer bills. They will increase from October mainly due to lower energy demand and use (a result of warm weather and improved energy efficiency in homes), meaning the costs to run the gas network are spread over a smaller number of energy units.

5. Wholesale prices are currently stable and have fallen by 2% over the past three months. However, unpredictable global events mean these prices remain volatile and are likely to change. Building a homegrown, clean energy system now means we can move away from markets beyond our control to boost energy security and stability.

6. Standing charges are also set to rise by 4% for electricity and 14% for gas. This is primarily driven by the government's expansion of the Warm Home Discount, adding a total of 7p per day to standing charges.

7. We are also today (Wednesday 27 August) opening a policy consultation package which could impact future energy prices. This includes: 

• Nuclear Regulated Asset Base (RAB) consultation to gather feedback from industry on how the cost of funding government's Sizewell C nuclear project will be recovered through the price cap.  

• A call for input on the proposed extension of the ban on acquisition-only tariffs. This prevents suppliers from offering fixed-term deals exclusively to new customers, ensuring any discounted deals are also made available to existing customers. 

• Benchmark consultation to seek feedback from industry on current average energy usage. The benchmark is used to set the price cap and is based on average energy usage for a typical, dual fuel domestic customer. This was last updated in 2017 and will be revised to reflect current customer usage and ensure suppliers can recover fair and accurate energy costs. 

8. Through our RIIO-3 programme, we have given the provisional green light to an initial £24bn investment programme to enhance energy security while enabling the transmission of more clean energy from renewable sources. The investment in our grid, which will rise to around four times the current spending levels, will allow for 80 transmission projects and all associated works to be completed within five years to significantly increase the grid's capacity. For more information on this, please see Ofgem approves initial £24 billion to operate and maintain critical gas networks and upgrade Britain's electricity supergrid.

9. For any queries relating to government's Warm Home Discount and smart meter policies, or Nuclear RAB (Sizewell C), please contact the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero.

10. Overall number of domestic customer accounts on Standard Variable Tariffs (SVT) – ‘around 34 million' of which:  

• new no. of SVT Direct Debit accounts – ‘around 20 million' 

• new no. of SVT Standard Credit accounts – ‘around 8 million'   

• new no. of SVT PPM accounts – ‘around 6 million'    

Total number of domestic customer accounts on fixed tariffs ‘around 20 million'.