UK energy price cap & appliance running costs
The Ofgem energy price cap for 1 July to 30 September 2026 sets electricity at 26.11p per kWh and gas at 7.33p per kWh, with a typical dual-fuel household paying around £1,862 a year. Estimate your own bill below, then see what it costs to run 34 common appliances.
Source: Ofgem — Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges. Cap period 1 July to 30 September 2026. Updated June 2026.
Current cap (1 July to 30 September 2026): electricity 26.11p/kWh + 57.19p/day standing charge; gas 7.33p/kWh + 29.04p/day standing charge. Average across England, Scotland & Wales for Direct Debit customers, incl. 5% VAT.
Ofgem price cap rates
| Charge | Now (1 July to 30 September 2026) | Previous (1 April to 30 June 2026) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity unit rate | 26.11p/kWh | 24.67p/kWh | +5.8% |
| Electricity standing charge | 57.19p/day | 57.21p/day | -0.0% |
| Gas unit rate | 7.33p/kWh | 5.74p/kWh | +27.7% |
| Gas standing charge | 29.04p/day | 29.09p/day | -0.2% |
| Typical annual bill (dual fuel) | £1,862 | £1,649 | +12.9% |
The cap is a single average across England, Scotland and Wales — Ofgem also publishes a 14-region breakdown as an interactive tool. We show the national average here rather than reproduce regional figures we can't verify line-by-line. Ofgem price cap page.
Estimate your annual energy bill
Enter your yearly usage in kWh (it's on your annual statement). We apply the current Ofgem price-cap unit rates and standing charges for 1 July to 30 September 2026.
Estimated annual cost at the current cap
£1,863
- Electricity
- £914/yr
- Gas
- £949/yr
Includes daily standing charges (0.57p elec + 0.29p gas per day) and 5% VAT. An estimate only — your supplier's tariff and usage will vary.
What it costs to run 34 appliances
At the current cap rate of 26.11p/kWh. "Per typical use" uses an indicative run time for each appliance — open any appliance for a calculator that lets you change the hours.
| Appliance | Power | Typical use | Cost per use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric shower | 9,000 W | 0.17 h | 39.9p |
| Immersion heater | 3,000 W | 1 h | 78.3p |
| Kettle | 3,000 W | 0.05 h | 3.9p |
| Tumble dryer | 2,500 W | 1.5 h | 97.9p |
| Electric heater | 2,500 W | 3 h | £1.96 |
| Oven | 2,100 W | 1 h | 54.8p |
| Washing machine | 2,100 W | 1.5 h | 82.2p |
| Oil-filled radiator | 2,000 W | 4 h | £2.09 |
| Hairdryer | 2,000 W | 0.17 h | 8.9p |
| Hob (electric ring) | 2,000 W | 0.5 h | 26.1p |
| Dishwasher | 1,800 W | 2 h | 94.0p |
| Grill | 1,500 W | 0.33 h | 12.9p |
| Iron | 1,500 W | 0.5 h | 19.6p |
| Air fryer | 1,500 W | 0.5 h | 19.6p |
| Coffee machine | 1,200 W | 0.1 h | 3.1p |
| Toaster | 1,000 W | 0.05 h | 1.3p |
| Microwave | 1,000 W | 0.1 h | 2.6p |
| Vacuum cleaner | 900 W | 0.5 h | 11.7p |
| Slow cooker | 250 W | 8 h | 52.2p |
| Dehumidifier | 500 W | 6 h | 78.3p |
| Towel rail | 450 W | 2 h | 23.5p |
| Plasma TV | 350 W | 4 h | 36.6p |
| Fridge-freezer | 150 W | 24 h | 94.0p |
| Electric blanket | 150 W | 1 h | 3.9p |
| Fridge | 100 W | 24 h | 62.7p |
| Chest freezer | 100 W | 24 h | 62.7p |
| Desktop PC | 140 W | 4 h | 14.6p |
| LCD TV | 120 W | 4 h | 12.5p |
| Games console | 120 W | 2 h | 6.3p |
| Laptop | 50 W | 4 h | 5.2p |
| TV box / DVD player | 40 W | 4 h | 4.2p |
| Extractor fan | 20 W | 1 h | 0.5p |
| Broadband router | 10 W | 24 h | 6.3p |
| Phone charger | 5 W | 2 h | 0.3p |
Wattages are typical/indicative — real appliances vary by model. Source: Heatable — How much energy do appliances use (typical ratings; draws on Energy Saving Trust / Centre for Sustainable Energy).
UK energy costs — frequently asked questions
What is the current UK energy price cap?
For 1 July to 30 September 2026 the Ofgem price cap sets electricity at 26.11p per kWh (57.19p/day standing charge) and gas at 7.33p per kWh (29.04p/day standing charge). The typical dual-fuel Direct Debit household pays around £1862 a year. Figures are the average across England, Scotland and Wales, include 5% VAT, and are set by Ofgem.
How much did the energy price cap change?
Versus the 1 April to 30 June 2026 cap, the electricity unit rate moved +5.8% (from 24.67p to 26.11p), gas moved +27.7% (from 5.74p to 7.33p), and the typical annual bill moved +12.9% (from £1649 to £1862).
How do I work out what an appliance costs to run?
Cost to run = (watts ÷ 1000) × hours used × the electricity unit rate. At the current cap rate of 26.11p/kWh, a 1,000 W appliance run for one hour costs about 26.1p.
Does the price cap mean my bill is capped?
No. Ofgem caps the unit rates and standing charges a supplier can charge on a standard variable tariff — not your total bill. The more energy you use, the more you pay. The widely quoted "typical bill" figure assumes Ofgem’s typical annual consumption.
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Sources & method
Price-cap figures are from Ofgem — Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges (cap period 1 July to 30 September 2026), fetched 2026-06-18. Appliance power ratings are from Heatable — How much energy do appliances use (typical ratings; draws on Energy Saving Trust / Centre for Sustainable Energy). Ofgem figures © Ofgem, Open Government Licence v3.0. Appliance wattages are typical/indicative, not measured. Running cost = (watts ÷ 1000) × hours × 26.11p/kWh. Ofgem · Appliance ratings.