Gas and electricity:
find a cheaper deal in 5 minutes
19 million UK households are on a standard variable tariff. If you have not compared in the last 12 months, there is a good chance you are overpaying. Switching takes 5 working days and never cuts off your supply.
The standard variable tariff is capped at £1,723 per year for a typical dual-fuel household from 1 October to 31 December 2026, a 4% rise on the summer cap that landed almost entirely on gas. VAT also came off domestic electricity entirely from 1 October. If you have not compared tariffs recently, a competitive fixed deal can save £150 to £400 per year and protect against future quarterly rises. Switching takes 5 working days and never cuts off your supply.
Fixed deal vs standard variable tariff
Fixed rate deal
Your unit rate and standing charge are locked for the length of the deal, typically 12 to 24 months. You are protected against quarterly price cap increases, like the 4% rise that took effect on 1 October. Fixed deals can be above or below the current cap. Comparing by postcode is the only way to see what is available for your home.
Standard variable tariff
Your unit rate tracks the Ofgem price cap, which is reviewed every January, April, July, and October. You are not locked in and can switch at any time. But you have no protection against cap increases, and you may be paying more than a competitive fixed deal. Currently capped at £1,723 per year for a typical household.
Standard variable tariff cap based on the Ofgem price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026. Source: Ofgem. Last updated September 2026.
How to switch gas and electricity supplier
Compare tariffs by postcode
Enter your postcode and ideally your annual kWh usage from a recent bill. The cheapest tariff varies by region, meter type, and payment method. There is no single national cheapest deal.
Choose your deal and sign up
Select the tariff that suits you. You will need your postcode, current supplier name, and payment details. The whole process takes around 10 minutes online.
Your new supplier handles the rest
Your new supplier contacts your old one and arranges the switch. It completes within 5 working days. Your supply is never interrupted. You will receive a final bill from your old supplier.
Is it worth switching gas and electricity in 2026?
The price cap has come a long way down from the crisis years, when typical bills were held at £2,500 by the government's guarantee, but it turned upward again this quarter: the cap rose 4% on 1 October 2026 to £1,723 for a typical household. Two details soften the headline. The government removed VAT from domestic electricity from the same date, which Ofgem says kept the rise around £45 smaller than it would have been, and because the VAT cut applies to electricity only, almost all of the increase fell on gas.
If you are on a standard variable tariff, a competitive fixed deal below the cap does two jobs at once: it cuts the bill now and it locks the price against whatever the January review brings. What usually happens when the cap is rising is that households who fix before an increase end up paying less over the fixed period than those who stay on the variable rate.
The other reason to compare is simply that you may not be on the cheapest deal available. Some suppliers run competitive fixed deals that sit below the cap for new customers. The only way to know is to compare by postcode. See our compare energy tariffs page to see what is available.
Ready to find a cheaper deal?
Compare gas and electricity tariffs by postcode. Takes around 5 minutes. No obligation to switch.
Questions people ask
Enter your postcode, current supplier name, and annual kWh usage into a comparison service. Results show all available tariffs sorted by annual cost. The cheapest deal varies by region and meter type, so postcode is essential for accurate results.
Switching gas and electricity supplier takes around 5 working days under the Ofgem Energy Switch Guarantee. Your supply is never interrupted. The switch is entirely administrative and your new supplier handles the whole process.
Yes, particularly if you are on a standard variable tariff. The price cap rose 4% on 1 October 2026 to £1,723 for a typical household. A competitive fixed deal below the cap protects against further quarterly rises, and households switching from the standard variable rate to a competitive fixed deal regularly save £150 to £400 per year.
No. Switching energy supplier never interrupts your supply. Gas and electricity continue through the same pipes and wires. The switch is an administrative change and your new supplier handles everything.
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