One month: 200 kWh electricity and 600 kWh gas
£125.81 for the period. Annualised estimate at these Oct–Dec 2026 rates: £1,530.72 a year (electricity £840.58, gas £690.14), assuming the same daily use all year.
Home & lifestyle · Energy price cap Oct–Dec 2026
Energy price cap bill calculator, October to December 2026
Pick your region, then enter your kWh and the number of days to get your gas and electricity cost at Ofgem's Direct Debit price cap rates for 1 October to 31 December 2026. GB average: electricity 26.32p per kWh plus 54.83p a day; gas 7.97p per kWh plus 29.68p a day. The cap limits the rates, not your total bill.
26.32pelectricity per kWh; gas is 7.97p per kWh
Work out your gas and electricity cost at the price cap rates
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Choose your region for its Direct Debit rates for 1 October to 31 December 2026, or leave it on the GB average. Not sure which region you are in? Ofgem has a postcode finder (link below the calculator). You can also type your own rates into the optional boxes.
Enter your kWh and how long they cover
A month in the calculator is 365 ÷ 12 = 30.42 days and a year is 365 days. The annualised estimate scales your usage to 365 days and adds 365 days of standing charge.
Worked answers
Six worked answers
The kWh figures are illustrations, not typical or average use. Each button loads them into the calculator above.
Electricity only, 250 kWh in a month (no gas)
£82.48 for the period. Annualised estimate at these Oct–Dec 2026 rates: £989.73 a year (electricity £989.73, gas £0.00), assuming the same daily use all year.
A quarter: 600 kWh electricity and 1,500 kWh gas
£354.59 for the period. Annualised estimate at these Oct–Dec 2026 rates: £1,418.34 a year (electricity £831.81, gas £586.53), assuming the same daily use all year.
Away all month: no gas or electricity used, 30 days
£25.35 for the period. Annualised estimate at these Oct–Dec 2026 rates: £308.46 a year (electricity £200.13, gas £108.33), assuming the same daily use all year.
Ofgem's medium typical year in Yorkshire: 2,500 kWh electricity and 9,500 kWh gas
£1,724.26 for the period. Annualised estimate at these Oct–Dec 2026 rates: £1,724.26 a year (electricity £865.10, gas £859.16), assuming the same daily use all year.
Ofgem's medium typical year at the GB average rates
£1,723.61 for the period. Annualised estimate at these Oct–Dec 2026 rates: £1,723.61 a year (electricity £858.13, gas £865.48), assuming the same daily use all year.
The rates used
Ofgem price cap rates, Direct Debit, GB average
From Ofgem, opened 29 October 2026. Rounded to two decimal places.
| Charge | 1 July to 30 September 2026 | 1 October to 31 December 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity unit rate | 26.11p per kWh | 26.32p per kWh |
| Electricity standing charge | 57.19p a day | 54.83p a day |
| Gas unit rate | 7.33p per kWh | 7.97p per kWh |
| Gas standing charge | 29.04p a day | 29.68p a day |
Gas includes 5% VAT. There is no VAT on electricity from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027, so Ofgem says costs cannot be compared directly with earlier periods. The overall cap for a typical Direct Debit household is £1,723 a year for this period, up 4%. Ofgem: energy price cap unit rates and standing charges.
How it works
How the cost is calculated
For each fuel: cost = kWh used × unit rate + days × daily standing charge. The calculator adds electricity and gas together. For example, 200 kWh of electricity over 30 days is 200 × 26.32p = £52.64, plus 30 × 54.83p = £16.45, so £69.09.
The annualised estimate is labelled as an estimate on purpose. It takes the use you entered, scales it to a full year of 365 days, and prices it at the October to December 2026 rates. Real use is higher in winter and lower in summer, and the rates are set again from 1 January 2027, so the true annual bill will differ.
What the cap does
The price cap does not cap your total bill
Ofgem says the cap is the maximum a supplier can charge for a unit of energy and the standing charge together, and that it does not limit the cost of your total bill. If you use more energy you pay more, even at capped rates. The cap applies to standard variable and default tariffs; fixed deals, Economy 7 and other multi-rate tariffs, and prepayment or standard credit payment are not covered by the Direct Debit rates used here. Ofgem: energy price cap and standing charges explained.
Regions
Direct Debit rates by region, October to December 2026
From Ofgem's Direct Debit table, opened 29 October 2026.
| Region | Electricity p per kWh | Electricity standing charge p a day | Gas p per kWh | Gas standing charge p a day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Western England | 26.49 | 45.68 | 7.86 | 29.81 |
| North Eastern England | 25.46 | 61.58 | 7.92 | 29.79 |
| Yorkshire | 25.60 | 61.67 | 7.90 | 29.77 |
| Northern Scotland | 26.35 | 55.14 | 7.87 | 29.87 |
| Southern England | 26.47 | 47.81 | 8.17 | 29.16 |
| Southern Scotland | 26.11 | 61.41 | 7.87 | 29.89 |
| Merseyside and Northern Wales | 27.86 | 67.66 | 7.91 | 30.08 |
| London | 26.60 | 42.92 | 8.15 | 30.20 |
| South Eastern England | 26.88 | 52.32 | 8.05 | 29.26 |
| Eastern England | 26.61 | 51.84 | 7.91 | 29.34 |
| East Midlands | 25.36 | 51.45 | 7.82 | 29.41 |
| West Midlands | 25.60 | 57.23 | 7.90 | 29.71 |
| South Western England | 26.58 | 55.58 | 8.12 | 29.31 |
| Southern Wales | 26.55 | 55.41 | 8.09 | 29.96 |
| GB average (Ofgem) | 26.32 | 54.83 | 7.97 | 29.68 |
Every figure was checked on 29 October 2026 against the single-rate electricity and gas Direct Debit tables on Ofgem's unit rates and standing charges page, and all 14 regions match. They also follow from Ofgem's cap tables for this period (annual cost at nil use and at typical medium use of 2,500 kWh of electricity and 9,500 kWh of gas). Gas includes 5% VAT, and electricity has no VAT until 31 March 2027. Your supplier's bill shows what you are actually charged, so check it. Ofgem: cap tables for 1 October to 31 December 2026 (PDF); Ofgem: unit rates and standing charges, with a postcode finder.
Standing charges depend on where you live: Ofgem bases them on how many people live in your region, how much energy is used there, how much energy suppliers must buy and the cost of building and improving the networks. Your supplier's bill or app shows the rates you are really charged, which may be lower than the cap on a fixed tariff.
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Helpful answers
Energy price cap FAQs.
What is the energy price cap?
It is a limit set by Ofgem on the unit rate and daily standing charge a supplier can charge on standard variable and default tariffs. From 1 October to 31 December 2026 the average Direct Debit rates are 26.32p per kWh and 54.83p a day for electricity, and 7.97p per kWh and 29.68p a day for gas.
Does the price cap limit my total energy bill?
No. Ofgem says the cap does not limit the cost of your total bill. It limits the price per unit and the standing charge, so a household that uses more energy pays more.
Where do the regional rates come from?
They are the single-rate electricity and gas Direct Debit rates for each of the 14 regions on Ofgem's unit rates and standing charges page for 1 October to 31 December 2026, checked on 29 October 2026. They also follow from Ofgem's cap tables, which give each region's annual cost at nil use (the standing charge) and at typical medium use of 2,500 kWh of electricity and 9,500 kWh of gas. Gas includes 5% VAT. Your own bill shows what you are charged.
What is a typical household's gas and electricity use?
Ofgem's 2026 typical domestic consumption values at medium use are 2,500 kWh of electricity and 9,500 kWh of gas a year. They are used to quote the cap as £1,723 a year for Direct Debit, but they are not a limit on what you can use.
Why do energy rates differ by region?
Standing charges and unit rates are set for each region, based on how many people live there, how much energy is used, the energy suppliers need to buy and the cost of building and improving the networks. The calculator has all 14.
Will the rates change in January 2027?
Yes, they can. The rates on this page apply from 1 October to 31 December 2026. Ofgem sets a new cap from 1 January 2027, so an annualised estimate at today's rates is only a guide.
Is there VAT on electricity at the moment?
No. Ofgem says there is no VAT on electricity from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027. Gas rates include 5% VAT.
How is the annualised estimate worked out?
Your kWh are scaled to 365 days (kWh ÷ days in your period × 365), priced at the unit rate, and 365 days of standing charge are added. It assumes the same daily use all year, which is not true for most homes, because winter use is higher.
Rates checked 29 October 2026. Sources: Ofgem, energy price cap unit rates and standing charges; Ofgem, energy price cap and standing charges explained; Ofgem, cap tables 17a; Ofgem, summary of changes (typical consumption). An estimate, not a bill: your supplier's tariff and meter readings decide what you pay.