Ofgem and energy bills
The regulator sets the price cap for gas and electricity and the rules for suppliers. What changes in your bill, whose debt is written off and how not to overpay.
Articles on this topic: 29
New UK taxes: what has been passed and what is still planned
The 28 October Budget left the headline rates alone, but from 6 April 2027 tax on rental and savings income rises to 24%, 44% and 49%. Households in England get a £100 energy payment in January 2027, and April 2028 brings a council tax surcharge on £2m homes and a 3p per mile charge on electric cars.
Complaining about your energy supplier and the Energy Ombudsman
Eight weeks for the supplier, a deadlock letter, the free Ombudsman and compensation — how to get a result.
What you can pay less for in Britain: lawful discounts on your bills — no savings promised
There are no money-saving secrets, but many people never claim the discounts they are due. Here are the lawful reliefs on Council Tax, energy, water, broadband and the TV Licence worth checking on your own bills.
The UK energy price cap: what it does and does not cover
Ofgem's price cap limits the unit rate and standing charge, not your total bill. Here is how it works, why the 'typical household' figure is only a guide, and when a fixed deal wins.
GBIS: free home insulation in Great Britain — who qualified
The GBIS scheme helped households insulate homes for free or at a discount. Here is who qualified on council tax band and EPC rating — and where the scheme stands now.
How to switch energy supplier in the UK and whether it is worth it
Switching your gas and electricity supplier is free and takes up to 5 working days. We cover fixed vs standard variable tariffs, the Ofgem price cap, the 14-day cooling-off period and the rules if you are in debt.
ECO4 scheme: free home insulation help in the UK and who qualifies
Who qualifies for free insulation and heating repairs under the ECO4 scheme, what it covers and how it differs from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Prepayment meters: when a supplier cannot force one on you
The over-75s, families with children under 2 and the seriously ill cannot be forced onto prepayment. What a supplier must do, under Ofgem's rules.
Energy brokers could come under Ofgem oversight under new Bill
The Energy Independence Bill introduced in Parliament would regulate brokers and price comparison services. The government estimates potential savings for small businesses of more than £300 million over a decade.
Autumn Budget 2026: £100 Household Energy Payment — who gets it and when
From January 2027 up to 20 million households in England will get £100 towards their energy bills — but only in certain council tax bands. Here is who qualifies, how to get it, and why only your council will contact you.
Smart meters in the UK: free, what they do and whether you must have one
Smart energy meters in the UK are installed free and send readings automatically. Here is what they do and whether you can say no.
A back bill for energy: the 12-month rule and when you need not pay
A supplier cannot make you pay for energy used more than 12 months ago if there was no accurate bill for that period or the direct debit was set too low. The Ofgem rule, its three conditions, the one exception, and what to do if the bill has already arrived.
RTS meters are being switched off: how to tell if you have one, and what happens to your heating
The radio signal that flipped old meters between day and night rates is being withdrawn area by area. Fewer than 154,000 of these meters were left in January 2026
The Priority Services Register: who qualifies for free extra help from energy and water companies
A free list you can join because of your age, a health condition, a pregnancy — or simply because English is hard. It buys priority in an emergency, a password against doorstep scammers and bills in large print. You have to join in two places at once.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme: £7,500 for a heat pump and who is refused
The scheme pays £7,500 towards a heat pump, £5,000 towards a biomass boiler and £2,500 towards an air-to-air heat pump. Off the gas grid there is an extra £1,500 until March 2027.
Energy bills: 40% still struggle to pay — what households can do
An Ofgem survey found 40% of respondents were keeping up with energy bills but struggling, while 4% were behind. The February–March findings were published on 14 October. Here are practical options for getting help and comparing tariffs.
UK to regulate the heating oil market for the first time: what 1.5m homes get
The government has accepted the CMA's recommendations: supplier authorisation, a mandatory code of conduct and dispute resolution. No price cap, and no deadline yet.
Diesel passes £2 a litre for the first time: what it costs in London today and where to fill up cheaper
The UK average price of diesel has passed £2 a litre for the first time — 200.01p, according to the RAC. Our own reading on the morning of 5 October puts the midpoint across 1,572 forecourts at 201.9p, with London diesel running from 195.9p to 203.9p a litre. Petrol is holding around 174.9p. The gap between neighbouring pumps in the city reaches eight pence a litre — about £4 on a full tank.
Your gas and electricity debt can be written off in full: who Ofgem is clearing 2022–2024 bills for, and what you must do
While everyone was working out the new price cap, Ofgem quietly launched a scheme that writes off old energy debt — up to £500m for around 195,000 customers, in full and with no matching payment. There is no application form: your supplier finds you, which is exactly why a write-off is so easy to miss. Here are the conditions — debt billed between 1 April 2022 and 31 March 2024, a £100 minimum, means-tested benefits, and one non-obvious requirement that pushes people out of the scheme.
Power cut: £100 paid automatically, up to £2,235 in a storm — what you are owed and what to do if the money never arrives
A long power cut in the UK comes with money attached, and in most cases it should be paid without you claiming. The amounts are set by Ofgem and uprated for inflation every year: £100 for a home once the restoration standard is missed, £45 for every further 12 hours, up to £2,235 in a severe storm, and an extra £100 if your power has gone off more than four times in a year. Here is who pays for what, how fast supply must be restored, and what to do if nothing lands in your account.
Should you fix your energy tariff in autumn 2026? Fixes undercut the price cap — and January's cap may jump another 20%
From 1 October the Ofgem cap is £1,723 a year for a typical home, and analysts expect another jump in January. The cheapest fixed tariffs are currently 3.5–4% below the cap. A no-hype guide: how a fix works, when it pays off, what to check before switching — exit fees, timings, meter readings — and when staying on the cap makes more sense.
Energy bills from 1 October: electricity at 26.32p per kWh, 0% VAT — and why you should submit a meter reading today
Ofgem's new price cap applies from today: £1,723 a year for a typical household, about £60 more than in the summer. Gas is up noticeably, electricity barely at all — VAT on it is zero from 1 October to 31 March. If you don't have a smart meter, there is one simple thing worth doing today: submit a meter reading so your September units are billed at the old rates.
Can’t pay all your debts? Which to pay first in England — and how Breathing Space freezes interest for 60 days
Rent, council tax, energy, credit cards, buy now pay later: when money runs short, the order you pay in decides whether you keep your home and avoid bailiffs. Which debts are priority in England, what happens if you don’t pay council tax, how to deal with energy suppliers and HMRC, and how to get 60 days of Breathing Space for free.
UK inflation accelerates to 3.1% as diesel jumps 14 pence in a month — a day before the rate decision
The ONS has published August data: consumer prices rose 3.1% over the year against 2.9% in July, a third consecutive rise. The cause is almost entirely fuel: motor fuels are up 23% over the year and petrol is at 161.3 pence a litre, the dearest since November 2022. A full tank of diesel costs £7.10 more than a month ago. Core inflation and services, meanwhile, did not move, and food has held at 1.3% for a third month.
What changes from 1 October: six things that will touch almost everyone
Energy bills rise £60 a year, but VAT on electricity goes to zero. Right-to-work checks extend to couriers and subcontractors. The tribunal time limit doubles to six months. Date by date — plus three deadlines to meet.
Energy price cap rises 4% from 1 October: £1,723 a year for a typical home
Ofgem lifts the cap from £1,663 to £1,723 a year — £60 more, about £5 a month. Gas is the driver, with its unit rate up almost 9%. Electricity barely moves, because VAT on it drops to zero on 1 October.
Going self-employed in the UK: registering, your UTR and what you pay in 2026
Register if you earned more than £1,000 in a tax year, and tell HMRC by 5 October. Class 2 is no longer compulsory; Class 4 is 6% and 2%. Unregistered subcontractors lose 30% instead of 20%. From 6 April 2026, turnover above £50,000 means quarterly reporting. And the part that catches people out: a Student visa bars self-employment, while a Skilled Worker visa allows 20 hours a week.
Schengen biometrics explained: how EES works, when ETIAS arrives, and what Britain does instead
Since 10 April 2026 EES has run at every Schengen border: no stamps, fingerprints and a facial image instead. ETIAS is expected in Q4 2026 — €20 for three years. British status does not exempt you from EES, and Britain itself requires a £20 ETA. Point by point.
VAT on electricity goes to zero on 1 October — and the bill still goes up
VAT on domestic electricity falls from 5% to nothing, taking about £45 a year off the Ofgem cap. At the same time the cap itself rises 4%, to £1,723 a year for a typical home. Net effect: you pay more, but less than you would have.