Last Updated on October 20, 2026
The next energy price cap announcement is due on or before 25 November 2026. It sets the cap for 1 January to 31 March 2027, and forecasts as of 20 October say it will rise from £1,723 to between £1,999 and £2,185 a year.
Below are the dates for the diary and how Ofgem has timed recent announcements.
Quick answer: Ofgem announces the next energy price cap on or before 25 November 2026, covering 1 January to 31 March 2027. The one after is due on or before 23 February 2027. Forecasts put the new cap at £1,999 to £2,185 a year, against £1,723 now.
Contents
Key takeaways
- The January cap is announced on or before 25 November 2026, a Wednesday, and starts on 1 January 2027.
- Its last ten announcements fell between the 21st and the 27th of the month, 35 to 41 days before the new cap began.
- Last year’s autumn announcement was at 7am. Ofgem has not yet published the time for November.
When is the next energy price cap announcement?
Here is the calendar, using Uswitch’s schedule for the first three rows and Ofgem for the last.
| Cap period | Announcement | Wholesale window | Where it stands |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct to 31 Dec 2026 | 26 August 2026 (done) | 19 May to 18 Aug 2026 | £1,723 |
| 1 Jan to 31 Mar 2027 | On or before 25 Nov 2026 | 19 Aug to 17 Nov 2026 | Forecast £1,999 to £2,185 |
| 1 Apr to 30 Jun 2027 | On or before 23 Feb 2027 | 18 Nov 2026 to 15 Feb 2027 | No firm forecast found |
| 1 Jul to 30 Sep 2027 | On or before 26 May 2027 | Not yet published | Date set by Ofgem |
The wholesale window is the period whose gas and power prices set the cap.
By 20 October, 63 of the 91 days in the January window had passed. That leaves four weeks of wholesale prices still to count, and gas was about 222p a therm on 20 October, according to Trading Economics.
The forecasts behind the £1,999 to £2,185 range are in our guide to the January 2027 energy price cap.
What time does Ofgem announce the price cap?
Ofgem announced the October to December 2025 cap at 7am on Wednesday 27 August 2025, and said it would not give out embargoed copies because of market sensitivities, according to its operational note of 6 August 2025.
That note came three weeks ahead.
Ofgem’s operational notes then gave 7am for each of the next four announcements: 21 November 2025, 25 February 2026, 27 May 2026 and 26 August 2026.
The note for the November 2026 announcement had not been published by 20 October, so the time is not yet confirmed.
Until then, treat 7am as likely but not certain.
Can Ofgem announce the price cap early?
Yes. Ofgem says it may publish earlier than the stated date if external reasons require it.
Its recent announcements have landed between the 21st and the 27th of the month before the new cap starts.
| Cap starting | Announced | Weekday | Days before start |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan 2026 | 21 Nov 2025 | Friday | 41 |
| 1 Apr 2026 | 25 Feb 2026 | Wednesday | 35 |
| 1 Jul 2026 | 27 May 2026 | Wednesday | 35 |
| 1 Oct 2026 | 26 Aug 2026 | Wednesday | 36 |
Dates from Ofgem’s cap letters. Days before start are calculated from the announcement dates.
Our table of energy price cap history shows every cap and when it applied.
What happens after the announcement?
The new cap takes effect on 1 January 2027 for anyone on a default tariff.
People on fixed tariffs are not affected by changes to the capped unit rates while their fixed deal remains in force.
Take a meter reading on 31 December so your supplier can split your usage between the old and new rates.
If you are weighing a fix, read our guide to whether to fix or wait before the January price cap before the announcement, because EnergySwitch notes that fixed prices can move before 25 November.
Which other dates matter?
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| Wednesday 28 Oct 2026 | Autumn Budget, according to Coutts. GOV.UK says any further action on electricity bills will come at the Budget |
| Tuesday 17 Nov 2026 | Ofgem’s wholesale window closes |
| By Wednesday 25 Nov 2026 | January to March 2027 cap announced |
| Friday 1 Jan 2027 | New cap starts |
| Tuesday 23 Feb 2027 | April to June 2027 cap due on or before this date |
| Wednesday 31 Mar 2027 | 0% VAT on electricity ends unless extended |
VAT on domestic electricity is 0% from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027, according to Ofgem.
GOV.UK says any further action will come at the Budget.
If the VAT reduction lapses, the April cap faces an extra 5% on electricity, about £43 on a typical annual bill based on the figures in this article.
What can you do before the announcement?
The cheapest steps do not depend on the number.
Cut gas use first with our tips on how to reduce your gas bill, then trim electricity with how to save on your electric bill.
If you are weighing panels, are solar panels worth it runs the payback sums, and monthly electricity bills with solar shows the result.
FAQs
When is the next energy price cap announcement?
Ofgem will announce the next energy price cap on or before Wednesday 25 November 2026, covering 1 January to 31 March 2027.
It can publish earlier: it announced the January 2026 cap on 21 November 2025.
The cap after that is due on or before 23 February 2027.
What time is the energy price cap announced?
Ofgem announced the October 2025 cap at 7am on 27 August 2025, according to its operational note, and gave out no embargoed copies because of market sensitivities.
Its notes for the November 2025, February 2026, May 2026 and August 2026 announcements also said 7am.
It has not yet published the time for the November 2026 announcement, so treat 7am as likely rather than certain.
When does the next energy price cap start?
The next cap starts on 1 January 2027 and runs to 31 March 2027.
The current cap of £1,723 a year for a typical dual-fuel household runs to 31 December 2026.
Anyone on a default tariff moves to the new rates from 1 January.
How does Ofgem decide the next price cap?
Ofgem applies a formula.
Wholesale prices over an observation window, 19 August to 17 November 2026 for the January cap, set the wholesale part, and network, policy and operating costs are added.
Wholesale was 47% of the current cap of £1,723.
Will the next price cap change my fixed tariff?
No. The cap applies to default tariffs, not fixed deals.
If you are on a fix, your unit rates and standing charges stay the same until the deal ends, though your bill still changes with how much you use.
The electricity VAT cut should reach fixed customers too.
Our Verdict
Put 25 November 2026 in the diary, but do not wait for it.
Ofgem’s wholesale observation window closes on 17 November, the forecasts all point upwards and fixed prices can move at any time.
If you want a fixed tariff, compare the available deals before the announcement.
If you want to reduce your long-term exposure to electricity price rises, solar panels could help by reducing how much electricity you buy from the grid.
Sources
- Uswitch – When Is the Next Energy Price Cap?
- EnergySwitch – January 2027 Energy Price Cap Forecast
- Uswitch – January 2027 Price Cap Predictions
- Turn2us – Energy Price Cap
- Ofgem – October to December 2026 Price Cap Announcement
- Ofgem – October to December 2026 Price Cap Changes
- Ofgem – August 2025 Announcement Operational Note
- Ofgem – November 2025 Announcement Operational Note
- Ofgem – February 2026 Announcement Operational Note
- Ofgem – May 2026 Announcement Operational Note
- Ofgem – August 2026 Announcement Operational Note
- Ofgem – July to September 2025 Price Cap Changes
- Ofgem – October to December 2025 Price Cap Changes
- Ofgem – January to March 2026 Price Cap Changes
- Ofgem – April to June 2026 Price Cap Changes
- Ofgem – July to September 2026 Price Cap Changes
- Ofgem – July to September 2024 Price Cap Changes
- Ofgem – October to December 2024 Price Cap Changes
- Ofgem – January to March 2025 Price Cap Changes
- Ofgem – April to June 2025 Price Cap Changes
- Trading Economics – UK Natural Gas
- Coutts – Autumn Budget 2026 Key Dates
- GOV.UK – Domestic Electricity VAT Reduction
- MoneySavingExpert – Energy Price Cap Predictions
- Cornwall Insight January Forecast – Global Banking & Finance
