What is the Ofgem energy price cap in the UK?

The Ofgem energy price cap sets a maximum annual rate suppliers can charge dual fuel domestic customers in Great Britain on standard variable tariffs, broken down by direct debit, standard credit and prepayment meters.

What cost components make up the UK household energy price cap?

The Ofgem price cap model includes wholesale energy costs, network costs, policy costs, core operating costs, debt-related allowances, capacity market charges and supplier profit margins.

How are UK business gas and electricity prices measured?

DESNZ reports quarterly prices paid by businesses in pence per kWh across consumer size bands, ranging from very small consumers up to extra large industrial users.

How far back do these UK energy price records go?

Quarterly series for UK household price cap breakdowns and average business energy prices are available in this table since 2004.

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UK energy price cap and business prices

Name: UK energy price cap and business prices
Creator: Ofgem — energy price cap model; GOV.UK official statistics

What UK homes and firms pay for gas and electricity, quarterly: the Ofgem default tariff cap for a typical dual fuel household, the standing charges and the cost stack behind it — wholesale energy, networks, policy costs, operating costs and supplier margin — and the average prices businesses pay, from very small to extra large consumers (DESNZ).

Source: Ofgem — energy price cap model; GOV.UK official statisticsLast updated: Sep 07, 2026, 10:46Curated by Bui Thanh PhucAbout this data ↓

Indicator	Q4-2026	Q3-2026	Q2-2026	Q1-2026	Q4-2025	Q3-2025	Q2-2025	Q1-2025	Q4-2024	Q3-2024	Q2-2024	Q1-2024	Q4-2023
Household energy price cap (Ofgem)8
Dual fuel (electricity and gas)3
Direct debit	1,674.11	1,575.07	1,553.77	1,664.54	1,791.5	1,757.5	1,890.98	1,773.37	1,751.67	1,595.09	1,722.14	1,980.85	1,883.71
Standard credit	1,816.67	1,710.29	1,687.92	1,803.99	1,937.71	1,902.39	2,018.23	1,893.94	1,871.09	1,705.73	1,839.54	2,111.8	2,009.49
Prepayment meter	1,688.47	1,597.37	1,575.58	1,684.97	1,808.06	1,762.82	1,881.87	1,765.06	1,743.28	1,606.7	1,732.85	2,008.73	1,907
Electricity3
Direct debit	854.72	815.84	828.62	897.4	959.41	933.1	981.56	942.18	931.76	865.17	928.1	1,030.3	993.04
Standard credit	926.82	884.82	898.29	970.46	1,035.81	1,008.41	1,047.17	1,005.49	994.52	924.16	990.44	1,097.98	1,058.74
Prepayment meter	858.9	828.45	840.88	908.52	968.84	942.44	978.79	940.14	929.77	867.2	929.82	1,041.28	1,004.21
Gas3
Direct debit	819.39	759.23	725.15	767.14	832.09	824.39	909.42	831.19	819.91	729.92	794.04	950.55	890.66
Standard credit	889.85	825.48	789.64	833.53	901.9	893.98	971.06	888.45	876.57	781.57	849.1	1,013.83	950.76
Prepayment meter	829.57	768.92	734.7	776.45	839.22	820.39	903.09	824.92	813.51	739.49	803.03	967.44	902.79
Dual fuel, including VAT3
Direct debit	1,715.08	1,653.82	1,631.46	1,747.77	1,881.08	1,845.37	1,985.53	1,862.03	1,839.25	1,674.85	1,808.25	2,079.89	1,977.89
Standard credit	1,861.16	1,795.81	1,772.32	1,894.19	2,034.59	1,997.51	2,119.14	1,988.64	1,964.65	1,791.01	1,931.51	2,217.39	2,109.97
Prepayment meter	1,729.95	1,677.24	1,654.35	1,769.22	1,898.47	1,850.97	1,975.97	1,853.32	1,830.45	1,687.03	1,819.49	2,109.16	2,002.35
Standing charge, dual fuel3
Direct debit	295.28	290.66	290.68	302.58	294.97	273.92	294.47	315.29	315.33	308.58	308.29	288.33	288.47
Standard credit	362.07	356.09	356.13	368.06	360.04	337.04	337.8	359.31	359.36	351.71	351.41	330.16	330.31
Prepayment meter	353.9	354.48	354.44	367.98	361	328.38	333.58	357.25	357.3	368.01	367.68	349.96	350.14
Standing charge, electricity3
Direct debit	196.66	194.18	194.13	185.28	181.47	173.37	183.55	208.34	208.37	204.89	204.73	185.44	185.51
Standard credit	231.73	228.54	228.5	218.9	214.88	205.99	207.2	233.1	233.12	229.19	229.02	208.6	208.67
Prepayment meter	220.93	225.57	225.57	218.25	214.76	206.78	205.37	230.57	230.6	229.68	229.5	209.47	209.55
Standing charge, gas3
Direct debit	98.62	96.48	96.54	117.3	113.5	100.55	110.92	106.94	106.96	103.68	103.57	102.89	102.96
Standard credit	130.34	127.55	127.63	149.16	145.16	131.05	130.61	126.21	126.23	122.52	122.39	121.56	121.64
Prepayment meter	132.97	128.9	128.86	149.73	146.24	121.6	128.21	126.68	126.7	138.32	138.17	140.49	140.6
Cost components: total (excluding VAT)11	1,674.11	1,575.07	1,553.77	1,664.54	1,791.5	1,757.5	1,890.98	1,773.37	1,751.67	1,595.09	1,722.14	1,980.85	1,883.71
Wholesale energy	773.98	689.92	609.48	666.43	757.93	772.8	886.87	801.38	780.4	647.48	762.4	1,055.73	961.73
Network costs	417.34	415.92	463.29	396.84	421.48	394.83	394.83	390.3	390.3	381.44	387.69	405.2	405.2
Policy costs	96.39	96.28	106.05	236.06	236.58	219.62	219.62	207.64	207.64	208.84	208.84	175.34	175.34
Core operating costs	203.94	200.51	200.51	198.36	198.36	193.63
Debt-related costs	51.79	49.31	48.68	52.11	56.08	54.14
Industry charges	35.29	34.02	34.02	34.54	34.54	32.67
Smart metering net cost change	-6.93	-8.99	-8.99	-5.73	-5.73	-3.78	22.7	22.36	22.36	17.08	17.08	17.17	17.17
Capacity market costs	38.44	38.77	42.67	24.05	27.17	27.63	28.35	20.8	20.8	21.61	23.47	17.22	17.22
Adjustment allowance	0	0	0	0	0	0	30.57	30.57	30.57	30.57	30.57	12.02	12.02
Supplier profit margin (EBIT)	45.72	42.61	42.33	43.6	45.33	46.3	48.2	46.2	45.89	41.4	43.12	46.47	45.15
Headroom allowance	18.13	16.73	15.74	18.29	19.77	19.66	21.59	19.96	19.64	17.51	19.26	22.74	21.33
Gas and electricity prices for businesses (DESNZ)2
Electricity, average7				23.61	23.46	22.83	23.51	25.21	24.82	25.15	25.47	27.31	27.9
Electricity, very small consumers				34.31	35.45	36.75	36.39	32.19	33.57	31.99	30.38	31.57	31.6
Electricity, small consumers				28.04	28.86	27.86	27.93	28.73	29.36	27.2	29.18	31.42	33.95
Electricity, small/medium consumers				27.51	27.8	27.45	27.09	28.23	27.69	26.73	28.09	30.12	32.11
Electricity, medium consumers				24.46	24.8	24.27	25.26	26.72	26.23	27.57	28.3	30.23	30.09
Electricity, large consumers				23.37	23	22.61	23.99	25.44	24.35	26.67	26.24	27.71	28.74
Electricity, very large consumers				21.46	22.08	20.62	21.4	22.49	21.98	21.84	22.51	23.74	23.18
Electricity, extra large consumers				20.97	20.67	20.24	20.53	22.25	21.2	21.22	21.54	22.76	22.87
Gas, average5				4.79	4.73	4.85	4.97	5.17	5.2	5.1	5.13	5.82	6.13
Gas, very small consumers				6.99	7.66	9.82	8.36	7.03	8.02	9.74	8.71	8.33	8.82
Gas, small consumers				4.28	4.41	4.67	4.61	4.82	4.82	5.04	5	5.64	5.77
Gas, medium consumers				4.12	4.2	4.1	4.16	4.65	4.58	4.32	4.49	4.87	5.14
Gas, large consumers				4.19	3.73	3.59	3.84	4.4	4.32	3.91	3.97	4.92	5.42
Gas, very large consumers				4.2	3.63	3.61	4.12	4.49	4.45	3.87	4.06	5.21	5.72

Latest reading

Electricity, average stood at 23.61 Pence per kWh in Q1 2026. That is +0.6% from Q4 2025 and −6.4% from a year earlier. The series on this page is quarterly and runs from Q1 2004 to Q1 2026. Source: Ofgem — energy price cap model; GOV.UK official statistics.

Latest: 23.61 Pence per kWh; Q1 2026
vs previous period: +0.6%; Q4 2025
vs a year earlier: −6.4%

About this data

Frequently asked questions

What is the Ofgem energy price cap in the UK?: The Ofgem energy price cap sets a maximum annual rate suppliers can charge dual fuel domestic customers in Great Britain on standard variable tariffs, broken down by direct debit, standard credit and prepayment meters.
What cost components make up the UK household energy price cap?: The Ofgem price cap model includes wholesale energy costs, network costs, policy costs, core operating costs, debt-related allowances, capacity market charges and supplier profit margins.
How are UK business gas and electricity prices measured?: DESNZ reports quarterly prices paid by businesses in pence per kWh across consumer size bands, ranging from very small consumers up to extra large industrial users.
How far back do these UK energy price records go?: Quarterly series for UK household price cap breakdowns and average business energy prices are available in this table since 2004.