What changed on 1 April 2026
From 1 April 2026 to 30 June 2026, the Ofgem energy price cap is set at £1,641 per year for a typical dual-fuel household paying by direct debit. That is a 6.6% reduction from the previous cap of £1,758 set for January–March 2026. The cap is reviewed quarterly; the next change takes effect 1 July 2026.
The cap controls the maximum unit rate and daily standing charge a supplier can charge on their default tariff (the "standard variable" tariff). It does not cap fixed deals — so if you're on a fixed contract that pre-dates the most recent reductions, you may now be paying above the new cap.
Unit rates and standing charges from 1 April 2026
For direct-debit customers, the average April–June 2026 unit rates and standing charges are:
| Fuel | Unit rate | Standing charge |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 24.67p / kWh | 57.21p / day |
| Gas | 5.74p / kWh | 29.10p / day |
All figures include VAT at 5%. Gas standing charges fell by 5.0p per day in this cap period — a significant change for low-usage households.
Regional variation matters
The headline "£1,641" is a national average. Network costs vary by region, which means the cap your supplier can charge you is set by your distribution area, not your postcode alone. Households in the South West, Merseyside & North Wales and London tend to see slightly higher caps. Use Ofgem's regional unit-rate lookup to confirm what applies to you — or send us a recent bill and we'll check it for you.
Should you fix?
As of late March 2026, several major suppliers were offering fixed deals priced below the new April cap. E.ON Next held the cheapest published fixed tariff for many regions; Octopus Energy, OVO Energy and EDF Energy all had competitive fixed deals within roughly £40–£90 per year of the cap.
The right answer depends on three things:
- Your view of where wholesale prices are heading. Most independent forecasters expect prices to drift sideways or slightly down through the summer. A fix locks in current pricing — useful if you value certainty, less so if you expect further falls.
- Any early-exit fees on your current contract.
- Your usage profile — high-usage households save more from a tight unit rate; low-usage households save more from a low standing charge.
A four-line action checklist
- Submit a meter read today — many bills around cap-change dates are estimated.
- Compare your current unit rate (after 1 April) against 24.67p (electricity) and 5.74p (gas).
- If you are on a default/standard tariff, ask your supplier for their best fixed deal and request the comparison in writing.
- Take an independent benchmark before signing — either through a consumer comparison site or via our 48-hour free audit.
If anything in your bill doesn't add up — back-billing, deemed rates, missing direct-debit credit — that is exactly the territory we work in. We'll tell you, plainly, if you have a case.