What is the average energy bill in the UK?

Following the latest Ofgem price cap announcement, the average monthly energy bill in the UK is increasing to £101 for a low-usage household (1-2 people), £144 for a medium-usage household (2-3 people) and £202 for a high-usage household (4-5+ people). This includes both gas and electricity. Costs vary depending on location, household size, and energy usage. 

Here’s a combined table showing average monthly electricity, gas, and dual fuel bills using October 2026 Ofgem price cap rates:

According to the IEA, although bills have started to fall in the last few years, many households are still paying more than they did a few years ago. Energy prices can be influenced by global events, weather patterns and energy supply, so understanding your energy bill can help you better manage your household budget and make sure you are on the tariff that's right for your home. 

Here, we break down everything you need to know about energy bills, including: 

• How are energy bills calculated?
• The average UK electricity and gas bill
• What makes up your energy bill?
• What affects your energy bill?
• How to reduce your energy bill
• Getting support with your energy bills

How are energy bills calculated?

Your energy provider charges for each kilowatt-hour (kWh)of energy you use.

How much energy you use, the region where you live, your energy supplier and tariff, your payment method, and your meter type all affect your final bill.

Typical consumption figures can be a helpful way to work out how your energy usage compares to an average figure.

If you're an EDF customer on the standard variable tariff, find your daily standing charge and unit rates based on the government's energy price cap rates.

So, because of all these variables, calculating an 'average' household energy bill is quite tricky.

Below are recent typical consumption figures for average households. 

How much does the average UK household's gas and electricity cost a year? 

This table shows the average UK household electricity and gas usage costs a year: using the October 2026 Ofgem price cap rates (Electricity: 26.32 p/kWh, 54.83 p/day; Gas: 7.97 p/kWh, 29.68 p/day). Figures are rounded to the nearest pound. Unit rates and standing charges vary by region and payment method.
 

What makes up your energy bill?

There are several factors that affect your bill and likely make it different to the costs shown above. This pie chart shows an estimate of the different costs that can make up the average dual fuel energy bill - using Ofgem’s 2026 figures:

Breakdown of average UK energy bill components:

Source: UK Parliament House of Commons Library and Ofgem, August 2026

What affects your energy bill?

Whatever tariff you’re on or supplier you’re with, the amount of energy you use is one of the biggest factors affecting your bill. In general, the more energy you use, the higher your costs are likely to be. But it’s not the only thing to consider.

How much energy you use

Typically, the more energy your household uses, the higher your bill is likely to be. Your household energy use can be affected by:

• The size of your property – larger homes often use more energy, but insulation, heating controls and household habits all make a difference.
• The number of people living in your home – more people can mean higher energy use as there are more meals to cook, more laundry, and more baths and showers being taken.
• The appliances you use each day – older, less energy-efficient appliances tend to use more electricity than newer models.

Explore our handy kilowatt-hour (kWh) guide to better understand how much energy your home is using, and how to calculate the costs.

Your home’s energy efficiency

Homes with lower efficiency ratings often use more energy to heat, power and run appliances.

• Insulation - a typical house with no insulation will lose 33% of heat through walls and 25% through the roof.⁽¹⁾ Detached homes may also lose heat faster than similar-sized terraced properties, as there's a greater chance of heat loss through walls. Learn how to insulate your home
• Appliance efficiency - choosing energy-efficient, or A-rated, appliances can help reduce your energy use. Typically, the better the rating, the less energy the appliance uses

Explore our energy efficiency hub to learn more about home efficiency improvements.

Your tariff and meter

The type of meter you have and the energy tariff you choose can both affect how much you pay for your energy.

Fixed tariffs

With a fixed price energy tariff, the unit price you pay for energy doesn't change, regardless of whether wholesale energy prices go up or down - locking in your prices can give you more certainty over your energy costs and protect you against price cap increases. Remember, your total bill will still depend on how much energy you use.

Standard Variable Tariffs (SVTs)

A standard (variable) tariff usually changes every three months, so your unit costs can go up or down as wholesale energy prices change. Check out our price cap predictions to get a better idea of how we predict energy prices will change in the future or compare different gas and electricity deals.

Tracker tariffs

On a tracker tariff? Rates can rise and fall in line with a set benchmark. Check the tariff terms to see what it tracks and when rates can change. 

Smart and time-of-use tariffs

Using data from your smart meter, smart and time-of-use tariffs can offer different prices throughout the day. If you can shift some of your electricity usage to off-peak periods, you may be able to reduce your costs.

Are you on the right energy tariff for your home?  See if you can save by getting a new energy quote, or explore the different types of energy tariffs to help you decide.

Looking for a different tariff?

If you’re unsure whether the tariff you’re on is right for you, you can compare our available energy deals, check the latest price cap predictions, or explore our blog on how to choose the best tariff for you.

If you’re considering changing supplier for a better deal, learn everything you need to know about switching energy providers.

Does your meter type matter?

The type of meter you have can affect which tariffs are available to you

Standard meters

Standard electricity meter: on a standard single-rate electricity tariff, each unit normally costs the same regardless of the time of day

Smart meters

Smart meters: these automatically send your energy usage readings to your energy provider⁽²⁾ so your bills are based on your actual energy use, rather than estimated readings. Many smart and time-of-use tariffs are only available to customers with a smart meter.

Economy 7 and other time-of-use meters

Economy 7 meter or another time-of-use meter: these meters offer a cheaper off-peak electricity rate, usually overnight, and a higher rate during peak times. Discover 7 facts about Economy 7 meters.

Where you live

Depending on where you live in the UK, the price of your gas and electricity may vary slightly. While Ofgem sets the national price cap, actual rates can differ between regions.

The differences are mostly due to the cost of maintaining the local energy networks that deliver electricity and gas to homes and businesses.

Regional costs can be affected by:

• Supply infrastructure and geography: factors like distance, terrain and population density can affect the cost of supplying energy in different regions.
• Network maintenance: upgrades and maintenance for local energy infrastructure can lead to additional costs.
• Distribution charges: energy network operators in different regions have different operating costs, which can lead to small variations in energy prices.

You can read more about how energy is delivered to your home in our National Grid blog post.

How you pay

How you pay your energy bill can also affect the price of your gas and electric unit rates. 

Paying by Direct Debit means you can spread higher winter energy costs more evenly throughout the year, and budget more easily knowing your monthly payments are more consistent. Many suppliers offer some of their lowest-priced tariffs to customers who pay by Direct Debit, making it a very popular payment method.

Sometimes your Direct Debit payment may rise or fall. Find out about the potential reasons your Direct Debit could increase or learn more about our other available payment options.

How to reduce your energy bill 

No one wants to see energy bills go up. This increase comes as households head into winter, when energy use is typically higher. On average, households use only around 31% of their yearly energy between October and December. Use our price cap predictions, which give you our best guess of what prices will do in the future. We also show what our latest fixed deals are doing relative to that.

A £60 rise in the price cap is unwelcome for consumers, particularly going into winter when energy use increases.

While global gas market disruption was the main driver of the increase, the impact has been limited by the price cap methodology and suppliers hedging energy purchases in advance. The government’s action of removing VAT from electricity has also stopped bills from rising further.

However, wholesale markets currently point to a larger increase in Q1-27 of around £300-400, making fixed tariffs worth considering as protection against further price rises.

David Edmonds – Head of Portfolio Pricing

While any increase is unwelcome, it can be particularly challenging during the colder months, when many of us use more energy to heat and power our homes. The good news is that there are still plenty of ways to help manage your energy use and save where you can.

Below are our favourites for this time of year;

1. Save around £45 a year in Great Britain, or £55 in Northern Ireland, by switching appliances off instead of leaving them on standby. Most appliances can be turned off at the plug without losing their settings. Just check the instructions first, as some devices, like TV recorders, need to stay on.
   Fridges and freezers should always stay plugged in

2. Setting your thermostat to the lowest comfortable temperature for your home, usually between 18°C and 21°C. You could save up to £120 a year in Great Britain, or £80 in Northern Ireland, by turning your thermostat down from 22°C to 21°C.
3. Get a smart meter if you're an EDF customer to see exactly how much you're spending on energy, and if you already have a smart meter, log into Energy Hub to get the full picture
4. Join Flextras, EDF's rewards programme for offers that go beyond energy. You could unlock free electricity by shifting some of your energy use with Weekend Saver (and 4 bonus hours of free electricity just for signing up). Flextras also comes with partner rewards and other seasonal surprises to help you cut costs year-round.

Read more of our energy savings tips to help lower your energy use and save money, or check out our offers page for all the latest EDF promotional offers, deals and rewards.

Get support with your energy bills

We understand paying your energy bills can be difficult at times, so please don't face these challenges alone. If you're struggling to pay your energy bills, we're here to help. You can speak to us about support options, including setting up a payment plan or checking you're receiving any benefits you're entitled to. It all starts with a conversation, so if you're struggling, please get in touch.

You can also find out how we're supporting our customers who need extra help. If you're living with a disability, health condition, temporary life change, or illness, our Priority Service Register and extra support offer practical assistance and services.

Thinking about making a change? You can switch your energy supplier in just a few simple steps.