Price cap up.
Claw it back.

The price cap just went up again. Not dramatically — about £5 a month — but gas is 27% more expensive than last winter and fixed tariffs are sitting £100+ below the cap. Here's what actually changed on 1 October, what it means in pounds, and the moves that save real money right now.

What changed on 1 October 2026

Ofgem's price cap sets the maximum unit rates and standing charges your supplier can charge on a default (variable) tariff. It doesn't cap your total bill — use more energy, pay more. Here's the Q4 2026 cap versus the quarter before:

Two things stand out. First, the electricity standing charge actually dropped — partly because the government removed VAT on domestic electricity, which knocks roughly £45 off an annual bill. Second, gas got hit hardest: an 8.7% unit rate rise heading into the months you use the most gas. That matters because the typical UK home uses about 12,000 kWh of gas a year, and most of it between October and March.

The "typical annual bill" of £1,723 assumes a dual-fuel household using 2,900 kWh of electricity and 12,000 kWh of gas per year. Your actual bill depends on your actual usage, which is why the next section matters more than the headline number.

Why this rise hurts more than it looks

A 4% rise sounds manageable. But context matters.

Gas is roughly 27% more expensive than it was at the same point last year. The cap dropped through early 2025 and then started climbing again — and the October quarter is when most households ramp up gas usage for heating.

About 80% of the typical gas bill comes from heating. So the timing of this rise — landing exactly as thermostats come back on — amplifies the impact well beyond that £5-a-month headline. A household that heats generously through winter could see the difference hit £80–100 over the colder months, not the tidy £60 the annualised figure suggests.

And if you're still on your supplier's default variable tariff, you're paying the maximum the cap allows. Fixed tariffs from several suppliers are currently sitting £100 or more below the cap level.

10 ways to cut your bill this winter — with the numbers

We've put £ amounts against every tip because "turn things off" isn't a plan. These figures are based on Ofgem, Energy Saving Trust and manufacturer data at current Q4 2026 rates.

1. Switch to a fixed tariff — save £100+/year

This is the single biggest lever right now. Several suppliers are offering fixed deals below the cap. You won't pay exit fees on a default tariff, and switching takes a few minutes online. Check your current tariff first — if it says "variable" or "standard variable," you're on the cap rate. Compare deals on Ofgem-accredited comparison sites. Even if the cap drops in January, a decent fixed tariff locks in savings now.

2. Drop your thermostat by 1°C — save ~£95/year

The Energy Saving Trust estimates that each degree you lower your thermostat saves roughly 10% on your heating bill. At current gas rates, that's around £95 a year for a typical home. Most people won't notice the difference between 21°C and 20°C — but your meter will.

3. Kill standby power — save £35–65/year

The average UK household spends between £35 and £65 a year powering devices on standby — TVs, games consoles, set-top boxes, phone chargers left plugged in. A switchable extension lead makes this painless: one click before bed and the lot goes off. The biggest offenders are games consoles (which can draw 10–15W on standby) and set-top boxes that never truly switch off.

4. Use your smart meter display — save £35–50/year

If you've got a smart meter but the in-home display is in a drawer, dig it out. Ofgem data shows households that actively use their display cut their energy use by 3–5%. At current bill levels, that's £35–50 a year. It's the visibility that changes behaviour — watching the numbers climb while the oven's on has a way of sharpening your habits.

5. Shorten your showers — save ~£55/year

Cutting an 8-minute shower to 4 minutes saves roughly £55 a year for a household of two, assuming a standard electric shower at 8.5kW. A shower timer costs about £3. If you've got a mixer shower fed by a gas boiler, the savings are smaller but still meaningful — around £30–35/year.

6. Switch to LED bulbs — save ~£40/year

If you've still got halogen spotlights in the kitchen or bathroom, each one costs roughly five times more to run than an LED equivalent. A typical household replacing its remaining halogens saves around £40 a year. LEDs last 15,000–25,000 hours, so you're unlikely to replace them again this decade.

7. Wash at 30°C — save ~£27/year

Modern detergents work perfectly well at 30°C. Dropping from 40°C saves about £27 a year for a household doing five loads a week. The machine uses roughly 40% less electricity per cycle at the lower temperature.

8. Draught-proof windows and doors — save ~£35/year

Self-adhesive draught strips cost around £10–20 for the whole house and save roughly £35 a year. The worst culprits are usually external doors, sash windows, and letterboxes. A chimney draught excluder (about £15) stops warm air pouring up an unused fireplace — one of the biggest single heat leaks in an older home.

9. Line-dry instead of tumble-drying — save ~£50/year

A condenser tumble dryer costs roughly £66 a year to run at current electricity rates (assuming 150 cycles). Even halving your dryer use — drying inside on an airer when weather's bad — saves £30–35. A heated airer uses about a fifth of the electricity of a tumble dryer and costs around £40 to buy.

10. Time your heating properly — save £60–80/year

If your heating runs on a timer, make sure it's set to come on 30 minutes before you need it and off 30 minutes before you leave or go to bed — radiators stay warm for a while after the boiler stops. Most combi boiler users leave heating on a constant low temperature thinking it's cheaper. For a well-insulated home, that can work. For a draughty one, it's usually cheaper to heat in bursts — the boiler works harder but for less time.

If you've got a room thermostat but no TRVs (thermostatic radiator valves), you're heating every room to the same temperature whether anyone's in it or not. A set of TRVs costs about £5–8 each and lets you zone your heating without a full smart system.

Who gets help with bills

If you're on a low income or receive certain benefits, you may be eligible for:

Warm Home Discount — a £150 rebate on your electricity bill, usually applied automatically between October and March if you're on Pension Credit or identified by your supplier as eligible.

Winter Fuel Payments — £100–300 for pensioners, though eligibility has been tightened for the 2026/27 winter and is now means-tested. Check GOV.UK for the current rules.

ECO4 and the Warm Homes Local Grant — free insulation and heating upgrades for qualifying households. ECO4 closes in December 2026, so if you think you might qualify, don't wait. We've got a full guide on ECO4 vs Warm Homes.

Your supplier is also required to offer a payment plan if you're struggling — contact them before you fall behind. They'd rather arrange a manageable plan than chase debt.

Not sure what you qualify for? Run our grants eligibility checker.

The bottom line

The price cap going up is annoying, but it's a small rise — and most of the savings above cost nothing or next to nothing to implement. Stack a few of them and you're looking at £300–400 off your annual bill, which more than offsets the £60 increase.

The single biggest move is switching off a default tariff onto a competitive fixed deal. After that, the thermostat and the tumble dryer are your best friends.

If you want to see how your home's energy costs compare and what specific upgrades would save, run the numbers through our energy cost calculator.

Published October 2026. Rates and standing charges from Ofgem's Q4 2026 price cap announcement. Savings estimates based on Energy Saving Trust data and Ofgem typical domestic consumption values (2,900 kWh electricity, 12,000 kWh gas/year). Your actual bills will depend on your home, heating system, and usage patterns.