Energy tariffs
Understand fixed, variable, time-of-use and specialist energy tariffs, how they affect your total bill and what to compare before switching.
Do you want to compare an offer or understand tariff types?
Compare the whole bill, not just the unit rate
Whole-bill tariff comparison
Three steps: your usage, your current tariff (pre-filled with the Ofgem price cap) and the new offer from the supplier's tariff information. Entered rates are compared as though they applied for the whole period; future variable rates are not predicted.
Single-rate tariffs only. Each tariff has one electricity unit rate. For day/night tariffs use the Economy 7 calculator; for time-of-use tariffs see EV tariffs or heat-pump tariffs.
Step 1: Your usage
Default: Ofgem typical use.Enter 0 if the meter is connected but unused.Step 2: Your current tariff
Ofgem price cap, October 2026 - December 2026, England, Scotland & Wales average, Direct Debit, including VAT.
- Electricity unit rate
- 26.32p/kWh
- Electricity standing charge
- 54.83p/day
- Gas unit rate
- 7.97p/kWh
- Gas standing charge
- 29.68p/day
Change current tariff
Step 3: The new offer
Copy the rates from the supplier's tariff information label, for the same region and payment method.
Exit fees, incentives and contract details
Only paid if you leave a fixed deal early.From the new offer, counted once.Used for the period total and break-even.
Enter the new offer's rates in step 3 (unit rates and standing charges) to see your annual cost and saving.
Assumptions used
- Annual cost = electricity usage cost + electricity standing charge + gas usage cost + gas standing charge. The gas standing charge is included whenever a gas supply is connected, even at zero use, and left out for an electricity-only home.
- Standing charges use 365 days a year. Unit rates and standing charges include VAT when taken from the Ofgem cap.
- Single-rate electricity only. Day/night and time-of-use rates are not modelled.
- Both tariffs are compared at the entered rates for the whole comparison period. Variable rates can change each quarter.
- The one-off credit is subtracted once, in the first year. The annual figures leave out the exit fee; the first-year saving includes both the credit and the exit fee.
- Break-even is the number of months of lower bills needed before any credit, less the exit fee, turns into a net saving.
- Default current rates: Ofgem price cap for October 2026 - December 2026, England, Scotland & Wales average, Direct Debit.
Because published unit rates are rounded, a calculation using the displayed rates may differ from Ofgem’s headline typical annual bill by around £1.
Fixed and standard variable tariffs compared
Neither type is better for every household. A fixed tariff trades flexibility for rate certainty; a variable tariff keeps flexibility but moves with the cap.
Can rates change?
- Standard variable
- Yes, usually when the Ofgem cap changes each quarter
- Fixed
- No, for the fixed term
Contract length
- Standard variable
- No end date
- Fixed
- Set term, commonly 12 to 24 months
Exit fees
- Standard variable
- Not allowed
- Fixed
- May apply if you leave early, except in the final 49 days
Exposure to future price rises
- Standard variable
- Yes
- Fixed
- Not during the term
Benefit from price falls
- Standard variable
- Yes, when the cap falls
- Fixed
- Not during the term
Eligibility
- Standard variable
- Available to all customers of the supplier
- Fixed
- May be limited by region, payment method, meter type or existing customers
Smart-meter requirement
- Standard variable
- Not usually
- Fixed
- Some fixed deals require one
End of the tariff
- Standard variable
- Continues until you switch
- Fixed
- Supplier must contact you; if you do nothing you move to a default or variable tariff
The Ofgem price cap today
England, Scotland and Wales average, Direct Debit, single-rate electricity, including VAT. The cap limits unit rates and standing charges on default tariffs. It does not limit your total bill, which depends on how much energy you use.
- Electricity unit rate
- 26.32p/kWh
- Electricity standing charge
- 54.83p/day
- Gas unit rate
- 7.97p/kWh
- Gas standing charge
- 29.68p/day
- Typical annual dual-fuel bill
- £1,723
- Current cap period
- 1 Oct – 31 Dec 2026
- Next confirmed cap period
- Not yet published
- Typical bill next period
- –
Source: Ofgem energy price cap (default tariff) levels. The typical bill uses Ofgem's typical consumption values. Last data update: 7 Oct 2026, 14:33.
Types of energy tariff
No commercial tariffs or supplier recommendations are listed here. Check each tariff's full terms with the supplier.
Standard variable tariffs
Default tariff with no end date; rates follow the price cap.
Details
- How it works:
- The supplier's default tariff with no end date. Rates are limited by the Ofgem price cap and can change each quarter.
- Who it may suit:
- Households that want flexibility to switch at any time without exit fees.
- What to check:
- The current and next cap period, and whether a cheaper fixed deal is available.
- Main possible disadvantage:
- Rates can rise when the cap rises.
Fixed tariffs
Rates locked for a set term; leaving early may cost an exit fee.
Details
- How it works:
- Unit rates and standing charges are fixed for a set term, commonly 12 to 24 months.
- Who it may suit:
- Households that value predictable rates and are happy to commit for the term.
- What to check:
- The full rate schedule, term, exit fees and what happens when the deal ends.
- Main possible disadvantage:
- You will not benefit if variable prices fall, and leaving early may cost an exit fee.
Tracker tariffs
Rates follow a wholesale index and can change daily or monthly.
Details
- How it works:
- Rates follow a published wholesale index, often daily or monthly, sometimes with a cap.
- Who it may suit:
- Households comfortable with changing prices who can check rates often.
- What to check:
- The index used, any cap, how often rates change and the standing charge.
- Main possible disadvantage:
- Rates can rise quickly when wholesale prices rise.
Time-of-use tariffs
Cheaper electricity at off-peak times, dearer at peak.
Details
- How it works:
- Electricity costs different amounts at different times of day, with cheaper off-peak periods.
- Who it may suit:
- Households that can move use, such as EV charging or laundry, to cheaper times.
- What to check:
- Every time band and rate, not only the cheapest one, and smart-meter compatibility.
- Main possible disadvantage:
- Peak rates can be higher than a single-rate tariff.
Economy 7 and multi-rate tariffs
A cheaper night rate on a multi-register meter.
Details
- How it works:
- A cheaper night rate for a set number of hours, usually seven, on a multi-register meter.
- Who it may suit:
- Homes with storage heaters or hot-water cylinders heated overnight.
- What to check:
- Your meter's night hours and the share of use you can move into them.
- Main possible disadvantage:
- The day rate is usually higher than a single-rate tariff.
Electric-vehicle tariffs
A long cheap overnight window for charging a car.
Details
- How it works:
- Time-of-use tariffs with a long cheap window for charging, sometimes linked to a specific charger or car.
- Who it may suit:
- EV drivers with off-street charging who can charge overnight.
- What to check:
- Charger or vehicle eligibility, whether the cheap rate covers the whole home, and peak rates.
- Main possible disadvantage:
- Poor value if most charging happens at peak times or on public chargers.
Heat-pump tariffs
Discounted rates for running an installed heat pump.
Details
- How it works:
- Tariffs with discounted rates for heat-pump electricity or cheaper periods suited to heating.
- Who it may suit:
- Households with an installed heat pump and suitable controls.
- What to check:
- Eligibility evidence, how the discount is applied and any separate metering.
- Main possible disadvantage:
- Savings depend on running the heat pump in cheaper periods.
Export tariffs and the Smart Export Guarantee
Payment for electricity you send back to the grid.
Details
- How it works:
- Payment for electricity you export from solar panels or batteries. Larger suppliers must offer at least one Smart Export Guarantee tariff.
- Who it may suit:
- Households with solar panels, batteries or other small generation.
- What to check:
- The export rate, whether it is fixed or variable, and whether an import tariff is required.
- Main possible disadvantage:
- Export rates are usually lower than import rates, so using your own electricity is usually worth more.
Prepayment tariffs
Pay before you use energy, through a prepayment meter.
Details
- How it works:
- You pay before you use energy, through a smart or traditional prepayment meter. Default prepayment tariffs are covered by the price cap.
- Who it may suit:
- Households that want to control spending in advance.
- What to check:
- Rates compared with Direct Debit, emergency credit and support if you struggle to top up.
- Main possible disadvantage:
- Supply can stop if credit runs out.
Thinking about a time-of-use tariff? Read smart meters and time-of-use tariffs for eligibility and peak-rate risks, or check whether a home battery would add anything.
How to compare tariffs fairly
- The same annual consumption for every tariff
- The correct region for your address
- The same payment method
- Unit rates and standing charges together
- Day and night rates, where they apply
- Contract duration
- Exit fees
- Incentives and one-off credits, shown separately
- Eligibility requirements
- Smart-meter or equipment compatibility
- What happens when the deal ends
Switching checklist
- Find your annual electricity and gas consumption on a recent bill or your supplier account.
- Check your current tariff name and its end date.
- Confirm your payment method and region.
- Compare full-year costs using the calculator above.
- Check exit fees on your current tariff and any incentives on the new one.
- Review eligibility and meter requirements.
- Record a meter reading on the day the switch completes.
- Keep the final bill from your previous supplier.
Your protections when you switch
- Ofgem regulates the retail energy market in Great Britain.
- Northern Ireland has a separate market, regulated by the Utility Regulator.
- Your supply should continue as normal during a supplier switch.
- If a supplier fails, Ofgem's Supplier of Last Resort process moves customers to a new supplier.
- After a supplier failure, follow current official advice before cancelling payments or taking other action.
Energy tariff questions
Does a fixed tariff fix my total bill?
No. A fixed tariff fixes the unit rates and standing charges for the contract term. Your bill still rises or falls with the amount of energy you use.
Is a fixed tariff always cheaper?
No. A fixed tariff can cost more or less than a variable tariff over the same period, depending on the rates offered and how variable prices move. Compare full-year costs at your own usage.
What is a standard variable tariff?
It is a supplier's default tariff with no end date. In Great Britain its unit rates and standing charges are limited by the Ofgem price cap, and they can change when the cap changes.
What is a time-of-use tariff?
A tariff whose unit rate depends on when you use electricity, such as cheaper overnight or off-peak periods. It usually needs a smart meter, and it suits households that can shift use to cheaper times.
Can I switch while in debt?
It depends on how you pay and how old the debt is. Credit customers can normally switch when the debt is less than 28 days old, with the amount added to their final bill. Debt that is more than 28 days old normally needs to be repaid before switching. Prepayment customers may be able to transfer up to £500 of gas debt and up to £500 of electricity debt under the Debt Assignment Protocol, provided the new supplier agrees to accept the transfer. Check current Ofgem guidance for your circumstances.
What is an exit fee?
An exit fee is a charge for leaving a fixed tariff early. Standard variable tariffs cannot have exit fees. For a domestic fixed tariff, the exit-fee-free switching window begins 49 days before the tariff ends, or when the supplier sends its statement of renewal terms if that happens earlier.
Does the price cap apply to fixed tariffs?
No. The Ofgem price cap applies to default tariffs, such as standard variable and default prepayment tariffs. Fixed tariffs are priced separately and can be above or below the cap.
Does Northern Ireland use the Ofgem price cap?
No. Northern Ireland has a separate energy market regulated by the Utility Regulator. The Ofgem price cap applies to England, Scotland and Wales.
Should I compare monthly Direct Debit amounts?
Not on their own. A Direct Debit is a payment plan that spreads an estimated annual cost. Compare the unit rates and standing charges at your annual usage instead.
What happens if my supplier fails?
In Great Britain, Ofgem appoints a new supplier through its Supplier of Last Resort process and your supply continues. Follow current Ofgem advice before cancelling payments or switching.