What's coming
Late November 2026 — Ofgem confirms the January to March 2027 price cap. Forecasts currently sit between £1,999 and £2,115, roughly 20% above October's confirmed £1,723 (latest forecast). We'll publish the real figures here the day they land, as we did for the October announcement.
Octopus launches new 12- and 18-month fixes: the 18M now costs about the same as the cap
New Octopus fixes went on sale on 2 October. The 18M Fixed averages about £1,727 a year for a typical home, £4 above the £1,723 cap; the 12M is about £1,819. Both are £240–£330 below January's forecast.
October price cap and 0% electricity VAT both take effect today
From today a typical household on a capped tariff pays £1,723 a year, up 3.6%, and VAT on domestic electricity is 0% until 31 March 2027. Gas drove the rise; the VAT cut softens the electricity side.
Warm Home Discount letters start arriving from 20 October: what to look for
Letters about this winter's £150 Warm Home Discount go out from 20 October to 31 December. Most say you don't need to do anything; some ask you to call the helpline by 26 February 2027. Switched supplier since 23 August? You still get it.
January price cap forecast eases: Cornwall Insight says £1,999, up 16%
Cornwall Insight now expects the January 2027 cap to reach £1,999 a year, a 16% rise, and supplier forecasts have dropped to £2,065–£2,115. Still the biggest rise in four years, but about £100 less than forecast a week ago.
January price cap forecast: bills now expected to rise about 23%
Forecasts for January to March 2027 now sit around £2,120 a year for a typical home, roughly £395 more than October's £1,723. Martin Lewis expects a rise of between 15% and 30%, depending on the Middle East.
Ofgem confirms October price cap: £1,723 a year, up 3.6%
The cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026 is confirmed at £1,723 — about £60 a year more. Gas drove almost all of it, rising 8.7%, while the electricity standing charge actually fell.
Warm Home Discount: 23 August is the date that decides your £150
The qualifying date for the 2026/27 Warm Home Discount falls on 23 August. Whoever supplies your electricity that day owes you the £150 — and switching afterwards doesn't cost you it.
VAT on electricity drops to 0% on 1 October — and lands the same day as the cap rise
Domestic electricity VAT falls from 5% to 0% from 1 October 2026 until 31 March 2027. It reaches every tariff, fixed included, but a cap change on the same day absorbs much of it.
Why the price cap fell £200 without a single rate changing
From 1 July 2026 Ofgem cut the consumption it assumes a typical household uses. Every headline cap figure shrank by roughly £200 as a result — and none of it reached anyone's bill.
Why this page is short
We publish when something actually happens — roughly eight to twelve times a year, matched to Ofgem's quarterly cap announcements and whatever policy lands in between. There is no schedule to fill and nothing here written to hit a quota.
Every entry names its source, and the analysis lives in the evergreen guides rather than being duplicated here. That way the explainers stay accurate as the news moves past them.