What exactly is changing?
Ofgem has confirmed the cap is ~£1,755 per year for a typical dual-fuel household paying by Direct Debit from 1 October–31 December 2025—up from £1,720 in the previous quarter (July–September). In simple terms, that’s approximately 2% higher, equivalent to approximately £35 a year, or around £2.93 per month, for a typical home.
A note on standing charges
Many posts on social media highlight rising standing charges—the daily fee you pay regardless of usage. Standing charges remain a flashpoint in 2025 and are a key part of bills alongside unit rates (price per kWh).
Why are bills moving now?
Ofgem cites cost drivers including electricity balancing costs, alongside policy and network factors, contributing to the modest Q4 rise despite wholesale movements earlier in the year.
What it means for your household
- Typical user: Expect around £35/yr more than last quarter. Your exact bill depends on what you actually use.
- Low users: Standing charges form a larger share of your bill, so savings come from cutting wasted base load and considering suitable tariffs.
- High users or electrically-heated homes: You’ll feel unit-rate changes more; efficiency upgrades can deliver outsized savings.
Smart, practical steps (this week)
- Submit meter readings (if not on a smart meter) around the change to keep bills accurate. Photograph them for your records.
- Check your tariff. Compare any available fixed deals with your supplier’s Standard Variable Tariff; weigh certainty vs flexibility.
- Cut energy demand at source
- High-performance windows and doors reduce heat loss and draughts.
- Insulated Conservatory roofs and Extension roofs make living spaces usable year-round, easing heating loads.
- Replace old, draughty conservatory roofs with a new insulated solid or tiled roof that keeps heat in year-round.
- Draught-proofing, heating controls and loft/cavity insulation compound the gains.
- Look into support schemes if eligible (e.g., Warm Home Discount; Priority Services Register for vulnerable customers). Check your supplier’s advice pages
Will prices fall in January?
Some forecasters expect a slight dip in the first Quarter of 2026, but it’s not guaranteed and depends on market and policy drivers. Treat any prediction with caution until Ofgem confirms the next cap.
If you’d like us to assess heat loss and recommend the most cost-effective upgrades for your home (windows, doors, roof systems), book a free design visit and we’ll tailor options to your property and budget.
FAQs
No. It caps unit rates and standing charges for typical usage. Using more energy will result in a higher bill.
Yes—if you don’t have a smart meter. Send a reading on or just before 1 October (and keep a photo) so you’re charged the old rates for past usage and the new rates only from the change date. Smart meters send readings automatically.
Contact your supplier; they can help arrange safe access. If you can’t submit a read, keep your own dated photo when possible and speak to them about alternatives
Yes, but rates and standing charges differ by payment method. Check your supplier or Ofgem’s detailed tables.
For a typical dual-fuel Direct Debit household, it’s roughly £35 more per year (about £2.93 a month). Your bill could be higher or lower depending on how much energy you use, your region, and whether you’re on prepayment or credit.
Use your controls actively: set your room thermostat to the lowest comfortable level and use thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) and programmers so cooler rooms aren’t overheated. A small 1°C reduction (where safe to do so) can cut heating costs and deliver meaningful annual savings. Keep living areas in a healthy range and heat only when needed.
Yes—by a big margin. Windows from ~50 years ago were often single-glazed at around 5.2–5.9 W/m²K, and even early double glazing was about 2.9 W/m²K. Today, modern replacement windows commonly meet 1.4 W/m²K by regulation, and high-performance systems, like SEH BAC’s Comfort Ultra Glass, can achieve around 1.0 W/m²K (whole-window), meaning far less heat loss and noticeably warmer rooms.
Planning permission is unlikely to be required if you’re not increasing the footprint or overall height, but Building Regulations approval is typically needed for a solid/tiled roof (to verify structure, insulation, ventilation, and fire safety). At SEH BAC this can be handled for you by our expert planning team without the need of any additional Architect costs.
It’s a sensible basic measure—especially if you currently have little or no insulation—but once you’re around the recommended depth, the extra savings tend to taper off.
