Electricity price per kWh: October to December 2026 by region
The capped electricity unit rate is 26.32p per kWh on average from 1 October to 31 December 2026 (Direct Debit), with a 54.83p daily standing charge. It ranges from 25.36p in East Midlands to 27.86p in Merseyside and Northern Wales. VAT is removed from electricity for this period.
Electricity price per kWh by region (Direct Debit)
| # | Region | Oct–Dec 2026 | Jul–Sep 2026 | Standing charge | Prepayment | Standard credit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Midlands | 25.36p | 25.10p | 51.45p/day | 24.58p | 26.78p |
| 2 | North Eastern England | 25.46p | 25.22p | 61.58p/day | 24.68p | 26.89p |
| 3 | West Midlands | 25.60p | 25.33p | 57.23p/day | 24.82p | 27.04p |
| 4 | Yorkshire | 25.60p | 25.31p | 61.67p/day | 24.82p | 27.05p |
| 5 | Southern Scotland | 26.11p | 25.85p | 61.41p/day | 25.31p | 27.58p |
| 6 | Northern Scotland | 26.35p | 26.42p | 55.14p/day | 25.54p | 27.83p |
| 7 | Southern England | 26.47p | 26.42p | 47.81p/day | 25.66p | 27.95p |
| 8 | North Western England | 26.49p | 26.13p | 45.68p/day | 25.68p | 27.98p |
| 9 | Southern Wales | 26.55p | 26.33p | 55.41p/day | 25.74p | 28.05p |
| 10 | South Western England | 26.58p | 26.39p | 55.58p/day | 25.77p | 28.08p |
| 11 | London | 26.60p | 26.35p | 42.92p/day | 25.78p | 28.09p |
| 12 | Eastern England | 26.61p | 26.38p | 51.84p/day | 25.80p | 28.11p |
| 13 | South Eastern England | 26.88p | 26.67p | 52.32p/day | 26.06p | 28.39p |
| 14 | Merseyside and Northern Wales | 27.86p | 27.66p | 67.66p/day | 27.01p | 29.43p |
Single-rate meters. Figures exclude VAT (removed 1 Oct 2026 – 31 Mar 2027). Multi-rate (Economy 7) caps are on each region page. Source: Ofgem regional tables, read 12 September 2026.
What a kWh costs you
At 26.32p a kilowatt-hour, a 2 kW fan heater costs about £0.53 an hour, a 9.5 kW electric shower about £0.42 for a ten-minute shower, and a 7 kW home charger adds a 40 kWh top-up to an electric car for £10.53. Ofgem’s typical household uses 2,500 kWh a year — £658 in units plus £200 in standing charge. The regional gap between East Midlands and Merseyside and Northern Wales is 2.50p per unit, worth £63 a year at typical use.
Economy 7 and other multi-rate meters have a separate cap on the average of day and night rates; the night rate a supplier offers is usually 40–60% of the day rate. Solar and battery owners see the unit rate as the value of every kWh they avoid importing, which is why the payback on a system shortened sharply after 2022.
Related
- Price cap by region with bill calculator
- Standing charges ranked
- Gas price per kWh
- What appliances cost to run at these rates
Sources
Electricity prices
- How much is electricity per kWh in the UK in 2026?
- 26.32p per kWh on average for Direct Debit customers under the cap from 1 October 2026 (25.36p in East Midlands to 27.86p in Merseyside and Northern Wales), plus a standing charge of 54.83p a day. Prepayment and standard-credit rates differ slightly.
- Why does the electricity unit rate exclude VAT?
- Because the government removed VAT from domestic electricity for six months from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027. The Ofgem tables for this period are therefore ex-VAT for electricity; gas still includes 5% VAT.
- Is a fixed deal cheaper than the cap?
- Often, in autumn 2026: fixed tariffs were being priced below the October cap for most households, and the January 2027 cap was forecast to rise again. Compare the unit rate and standing charge together, not just one.
- What do businesses pay per kWh?
- Business rates are unregulated and depend on contract date, volume and credit; deemed and out-of-contract rates commonly sit 40–100% above the domestic figure. A contract review is free.
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