Next energy price cap due by Wednesday 25 November
Two more dates follow, 23 February and 26 May 2027, and Ofgem says it may publish earlier if external reasons require.
Ofgem will announce the next energy price cap, covering 1 January to 31 March 2027, by Wednesday 25 November 2026, according to the regulator’s published schedule.
The cap now in force runs from 1 October to 31 December 2026. Ofgem says “energy prices will go up by 4% for a typical household” in that period, and attributes the rise to “higher wholesale gas prices, caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East”.
Under the current cap, the average electricity unit rate is 26.32 pence per kWh with a standing charge of 54.83 pence a day. Gas averages 7.97 pence per kWh with a standing charge of 29.68 pence a day, for customers paying by Direct Debit.
The three dates Ofgem has set
| announced by | weekday | cap period |
|---|---|---|
| 25 November 2026 | Wednesday | 1 January 2027 to 31 March 2027 |
| 23 February 2027 | Tuesday | 1 April 2027 to 30 June 2027 |
| 26 May 2027 | Wednesday | 1 July 2027 to 30 September 2027 |
Each announcement lands 36 or 37 days before the period it covers: 37 days for January and April, 36 days for July. A new level is therefore known more than a month before its period begins.
Questions and answers
Could the announcement come before 25 November?
Ofgem says: “We may publish before these dates if we need to because of external reasons.” That makes 25 November the latest date it has set, not a fixed day.
Does the price cap change my fixed-rate tariff?
The regulator’s page states: “You are not affected by the changes to the energy price cap if you have changed to a fixed rate tariff.”
Is VAT still off electricity bills in January?
The page says “The government has removed VAT from electricity bills from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027.” That end date falls the day before the April to June period begins. Gas carries 5% VAT over the same months.
Can January’s level be compared with the October figures?
Ofgem says costs “cannot be compared directly to previous periods”.
