Britain’s energy price cap is expected to rise 4% to a three-year high when Ofgem announces the October-to-December rate on Wednesday, driven by the Middle East conflict and European heatwaves. Cornwall Insight forecasts a typical annual household bill of £1,729, up from £1,663.
Energy UK has called on the government for expanded assistance, proposing a £1.9 billion social discount scheme offering up to £450 to struggling households. Chief executive Dhara Vyas urged more targeted, permanent support. Customers already owed suppliers a record £4.7bn in arrears at the end of last winter.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s government plans to remove VAT from household electricity bills in October, which would reduce the cap by roughly £45. Meanwhile, the Energy Ombudsman accepted 46,532 cases in the first half of 2026, a 16% increase from the same period a year earlier, with billing disputes accounting for 58% of complaints.