Gas prices in the United Kingdom
In England, Scotland and Wales the price most households pay for gas is limited by the energy regulator Ofgem. Its price cap sets the highest unit rate per kWh and the highest daily standing charge a supplier may charge on a standard variable tariff, and it is reviewed every quarter. Northern Ireland has its own regulator and is not covered by the cap.
Gas is the backbone of home heating in Britain: the large majority of homes have a gas boiler, which usually heats their hot water too, so the cap shapes most households' winter bills.
Britain still produces some gas of its own in the North Sea but imports a large share, by pipeline from Norway and as LNG, much of it from the United States and Qatar. Wholesale prices therefore move with the European market even though Britain bought very little Russian gas. Household gas carries 5% VAT, a lower rate than in most of Europe.
Sources: Ofgem, ONS, World Bank, ECB
≈ at the ECB rate of 22 October 2026; ECB rates are free at ecb.europa.eu.
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How the cap is built
Ofgem builds the cap from the cost of buying gas in advance on the wholesale market, network costs, government policy costs, suppliers' operating costs and a small allowance for profit, plus 5% VAT. It varies a little by region and by payment method: paying on receipt of a bill (standard credit) costs more than paying by direct debit.
From the 2022 crisis to today
When wholesale prices soared in 2022, the cap would have pushed typical bills to record highs. The government stepped in with the Energy Price Guarantee, which from October 2022 to June 2023 held a typical household's annual bill at £2,500, and the Energy Bills Support Scheme took £400 off every household's bills over that winter. The cap has fallen back since, but remains well above its level before the crisis.
Ways to save
A fixed tariff can beat the cap or cost more; compare the unit rate and the standing charge together for your own use. Give your supplier regular meter readings, or use a smart meter, so you are not billed on estimates, and check that your direct debit matches what you actually use.
Reading the British figures
The figures here are Ofgem's averages for Great Britain on direct debit, VAT included; your region's rates can be a little higher or lower. Eurostat's household prices may not be reused commercially for the UK, so instead of a half-yearly chart this page shows the cap and the change in the Office for National Statistics' consumer price index for gas.
Ofgem's price cap, average for direct debit
1 Oct – 31 Dec 2026, in force
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Unit rate | 7.97 p/kWh |
| Standing charge | 29.68 p/day |
| Typical household (9,500 kWh a year) | ≈ £865 |
incl. taxes and VAT
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Questions about the gas price
- What does gas cost in the United Kingdom?
- Ofgem price cap: 7.97 p/kWh + 29.68 p/day (1 Oct – 31 Dec 2026, in force).
- What does a typical household pay under the price cap?
- A household using 9,500 kWh of gas a year, Ofgem's typical use, pays about £865 a year at the cap for 1 Oct – 31 Dec 2026, standing charge and VAT included.
- How has the gas price changed in the United Kingdom?
- The ONS consumer price index for gas was 9.8% higher in September 2026 than in September 2025.
- What is the Ofgem price cap?
- A limit on the unit rate and the daily standing charge that energy suppliers in England, Scotland and Wales may charge households on standard variable and default tariffs. It is not a cap on the total bill: the more gas you use, the more you pay.
- How often does the price cap change?
- Every quarter. Ofgem announces each new level about five weeks before it takes effect on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July and 1 October.
- What is the standing charge?
- A fixed daily amount that covers the cost of keeping your home connected and supplied, paid whether or not you use any gas. Because it is set per day, a home that uses little gas still pays it in full.
Gas prices in other countries
Sources and licences
- Ofgem, energy price cap. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
- Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0.
- Source: World Bank Commodity Price Data (The Pink Sheet), CC BY 4.0. Converted to €/MWh with ECB rates.
- Exchange rates: ECB euro reference rates, free of charge at www.ecb.europa.eu.