Many households could save up to £173 a year by switching to a fixed energy deal, according to reports. This comes as millions of households in Great Britain are set to face their highest energy charges in three years, with the government’s price cap rising again in October.
The price cap will increase by 4% from 1 October, following a 13% rise at the start of July. This will bring the rate for 22 million households on default tariffs to the equivalent of £1,723 a year, based on typical gas and electricity usage.
Moving to a fixed tariff could help consumers avoid this October increase and a further rise widely predicted for January. Ofgem, the energy regulator, stated that savings are available, with some fixed tariffs priced £100 or more below the October price cap.
The cheapest fixed tariff currently available is from Fuse Energy, priced at £1,550 a year for a typical-usage home. This is £173 below the October cap figure and £113 below the current cap. Other suppliers, including Co-op Energy, Octopus Energy, E.ON Next, and Ecotricity, also offer fixed deals with typical savings of over £100 a year compared to the October price cap.
Analysts at Cornwall Insight forecast that bills could rise by a further 9% in January, potentially increasing the typical household bill by £149 to about £1,872 a year. However, the January 2027 figure is not confirmed and will be announced in November.
A temporary VAT cut on domestic electricity, reducing the tax from 5% to zero between 1 October 2026 and 31 March 2027, will result in a £45 a year saving for a typical household. This saving has been reflected in the new cap and will automatically apply to both fixed and price cap tariffs.