Find out how much your
utility bills
will be
What's in your utilty bill?
Monthly utility bills for a household vary wildly depending on the size of the home, the number of occupants and the household’s habits. Here are the typical utility bills you have to pay:
Energy in the UK
What's the latest update on energy prices?
From 1 October to 31 December 2026, the Ofgem price cap is £1,723 a year for a typical dual-fuel household paying by Direct Debit, up 4% (£60) on the July to September cap of £1,663. VAT on domestic electricity has also dropped from 5% to 0% for six months, until 31 March 2027, worth roughly £45 a year. Ofgem will confirm the January to March 2027 cap by 25 November 2026.
What is the Energy Price Cap?
The price cap is the maximum Ofgem allows suppliers to charge for each unit of gas and electricity, plus the daily standing charge, on standard variable and default tariffs in England, Scotland and Wales. It caps the rates, not your total bill, so the more you use the more you pay. Between 1 October and 31 December 2026 the Direct Debit rates are 26.32p per kWh for electricity with a 54.83p daily standing charge, and 7.97p per kWh for gas with a 29.68p daily standing charge. Prepayment customers are capped at £1,678 a year on typical use, and cash, cheque or quarterly bill payers at £1,861. Ofgem reviews the cap every three months.
Are there ways to reduce my utility bills?
Yes. The biggest single saving is usually moving off a standard variable tariff onto a fixed deal priced below the cap. After that: send regular meter readings so you’re billed on actual use rather than estimates, renew broadband and mobile at the end of the contract instead of rolling on, consider a water meter if you have more bedrooms than people, and check your council tax band is correct. From April 2026 mid-contract price rises are fixed pound amounts (around £4 a month on broadband) rather than inflation-linked, which makes comparing deals far easier.
Is there any support available?
Yes, several schemes. The Warm Home Discount takes £150 off the electricity bill of eligible households, paid between October 2026 and March 2027; the qualifying date for winter 2026/27 is 23 August 2026, and the old high-cost-to-heat property test has been scrapped so more households on qualifying benefits now receive it. The Winter Fuel Payment is £200, or £300 if you’re 80 or over, for anyone born on or before 27 June 1960, though HMRC recovers it if your individual income is above £35,000. The Household Support Fund closed on 31 March 2026 and was replaced in England by the Crisis and Resilience Fund, run by your local council. If you’re struggling, contact your supplier first: they must offer an affordable payment plan and many run hardship grants.
