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Ofgem tracker + forecast watch

UK Energy Price Cap Hub

One page to track what the cap is now, when it changes next, where forecasts are moving, and what action to take before renewal deadlines.

Plain-English answer

The price cap is a limit on unit rates and standing charges for default energy tariffs in Great Britain. It changes every 3 months. It does not cap your total bill, because usage still matters.

Current price cap: £1,641 (Apr-Jun 2026)Cornwall forecast signal: Up for Jul-Sep 2026Cap updates: Quarterly
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Price cap in 60 seconds: what it is, why it exists, and how it is measured

  • Introduced on 1 January 2019, the cap was designed to protect households on default tariffs from unfairly high rates.
  • It caps unit rates and standing charges, not your total bill. Your bill still changes with usage.
  • Ofgem calculates the cap from wholesale costs, network costs, policy costs, supplier operating costs, and VAT.
  • The headline annual figure uses typical household usage: 2,700 kWh electricity and 11,500 kWh gas.
  • If your fixed deal ends and you do nothing, you usually move to a default tariff covered by the cap.
Current status

Current price cap now and expected next move

Today, the confirmed cap is £1,641 for April to June 2026. Cornwall Insight's latest forecast suggests the next cap period is likely to be higher.

Current price cap

1 April to 30 June 2026

£1,641

Updated 25 Feb 2026

Expected next move (Cornwall Insight forecast)

↗

Expected to rise

£207.70 above current cap for Jul-Sep 2026.

Forecast: £1,848.70 • Published 15 May 2026

If available fixed deals are near or below your current effective capped rate, locking in now can reduce risk from a forecasted rise.

Show exact timeline dates and source context

Next Ofgem announcement expected by: 27 May 2026

Next cap period starts: 1 Jul 2026

Source: Ofgem (publication date 25 February 2026)

History + forecast + events

How the cap moved from 2021 to now

Confirmed values come from Ofgem publications. Forecast values come from Cornwall Insight and are marked separately. Use range, pan, and zoom controls to inspect periods like a market chart.

Range

Forecast view

£1,300£1,460£1,620£1,780£1,940£2,100Oct-Dec 2024Jan-Mar 2025Apr-Jun 2025Jul-Sep 2025Oct-Dec 2025Jan-Mar 2026Apr-Jun 2026Jul-Sep 2026 (forecast)

Confirmed cap (Ofgem)

Latest forecast (Cornwall Insight)

Selected point

Jul-Sep 2026 (forecast)

£1,848.70

Cornwall Insight • source date 15 May 2026

Forecast cap (Cornwall Insight)

£1,848.70

Published 15 May 2026

Ofgem announcement window

27 May 2026

Ofgem expects to publish the July-September 2026 cap by this date.

Cap period starts

1 Jul 2026

New cap rates for default tariffs apply from this date.

Renewal window

15 May 2026

If your fixed deal ends this summer, compare options 30 to 60 days before renewal.

Forecast watch

What Cornwall Insight projects next

Forecast, not confirmed

Forecasts can move before Ofgem publishes the official cap. Treat these figures as directional signals, not final prices.

Latest published Cornwall Insight forecast for July-September 2026

Jul-Sep 2026: £1,848.70

Published 15 May 2026

Recent forecast updates for the same period

  • Early view

    £1,645.20

    25 Feb 2026 • Cornwall Insight

  • Market shock update

    £1,800.79

    4 Mar 2026 • Cornwall Insight

  • Late March update

    £1,929.08

    31 Mar 2026 • Cornwall Insight

  • Latest published update

    £1,848.70

    15 May 2026 • Cornwall Insight

What this means for me now

Simple next actions based on your situation

Pick one path and act today. This keeps decisions clear when cap headlines change quickly.

Price cap FAQs

Answers people ask every quarter

What is the UK energy price cap in plain English?

It is the maximum unit rate and standing charge that suppliers can charge households on default tariffs in Great Britain. It does not cap your total bill.

Who sets the cap and how often does it change?

Ofgem sets the cap and updates it every 3 months for January-March, April-June, July-September, and October-December.

What date is the next cap change?

The next cap period starts on 1 July 2026, and Ofgem expects to publish the level by 27 May 2026.

What does Cornwall Insight forecast next?

Cornwall Insight's latest published predictor update (15 May 2026) projects around £1,849 per year for July-September 2026 for a typical dual-fuel Direct Debit household. This is a forecast, not a confirmed Ofgem value.

Should I fix now or wait?

It depends on your current tariff, contract end date, and risk tolerance. Compare a fixed deal against your current capped variable rate before deciding.

Does the cap mean I am on the cheapest tariff?

No. The cap is a protection ceiling on default tariffs. A fixed tariff or another variable option can still be cheaper.

What should I do if my contract is ending?

Use /compare-energy-prices/energy-renewal-email-10-minute-action-plan first, then run /compare-energy-prices/am-i-overpaying before accepting renewal terms.

Sources and freshness

Data sources

Every confirmed datapoint on this page comes from Ofgem publications. Forecast datapoints come from Cornwall Insight and are explicitly marked as forecasts.

Last updated: 17 May 2026