OctoTariffs

Ofgem benchmark

What the energy price cap contains

Ofgem's cap is a benchmark for a typical household's annualised energy costs. It is not a promise of any household's bill: usage, region, meter and tariff still matter.

The cap applies to covered domestic import tariffs. It does not govern export payments for electricity sent to the grid.

Payment method

Direct Debit

Latest published breakdown

£1,663

July - Sept 2026: to .

Ofgem benchmark for a typical dual-fuel household, using typical domestic consumption values.

  • Wholesale costs£729 · 43.84%
  • Network costs£416 · 25.02%
  • Operating Costs and Industry Charges£226 · 13.59%
  • Policy costs£96 · 5.77%
  • VAT£79 · 4.75%
  • Debt Related Costs£49 · 2.95%
  • Earnings Before Interest & Taxes (EBIT)£43 · 2.59%
  • Headroom allowance£17 · 1.02%
  • Levelisation£9 · 0.54%
  • Adjustment allowance£0 · 0%

Incomplete component history: Debt Related Costs, Levelisation, Operating costs, Operating Costs and Industry Charges, Direct debit payment method uplift allowance does not cover the full history.

Published price-cap history24 published Ofgem cap periods for direct debit. Each period keeps its publisher label and calendar grain.£3582£02018/19 winter: £945 (half_year)2019 summer: £1039 (half_year)2019/20 winter: £979 (half_year)2020 summer: £967 (half_year)2020/21 winter: £899 (half_year)2021 summer: £979 (half_year)2021/22 winter: £1093 (half_year)2022 summer: £1673 (half_year)Oct - Dec 2022: £2972 (quarter)Jan - Mar 2023: £3582 (quarter)Apr-June 2023: £2762 (quarter)July-Sept 2023: £1766 (quarter)Oct - Dec 2023: £1641 (quarter)Jan - Mar 2024: £1723 (quarter)Apr-June 2024: £1521 (quarter)July-Sept 2024: £1414 (quarter)Oct - Dec 24: £1543 (quarter)Jan - Mar 25: £1561 (quarter)Apr - June 25: £1655 (quarter)July - Sept 2025: £1541 (quarter)Oct - Dec 2025: £1576 (quarter)Jan - Mar 2026: £1584 (quarter)Apr - June 26: £1477 (quarter)July - Sept 2026: £1663 (quarter)
Publisher periods are preserved as returned: 2018/19 winter (half_year); 2019 summer (half_year); 2019/20 winter (half_year); 2020 summer (half_year); 2020/21 winter (half_year); 2021 summer (half_year); 2021/22 winter (half_year); 2022 summer (half_year); Oct - Dec 2022 (quarter); Jan - Mar 2023 (quarter); Apr-June 2023 (quarter); July-Sept 2023 (quarter); Oct - Dec 2023 (quarter); Jan - Mar 2024 (quarter); Apr-June 2024 (quarter); July-Sept 2024 (quarter); Oct - Dec 24 (quarter); Jan - Mar 25 (quarter); Apr - June 25 (quarter); July - Sept 2025 (quarter); Oct - Dec 2025 (quarter); Jan - Mar 2026 (quarter); Apr - June 26 (quarter); July - Sept 2026 (quarter).

Reviewed 2026-08-24 by Rob Gibbs. Report a correction.

Primary sources