Energy price cap Scotland: what the October 2026 cap means for your bills
£1,723 is not the most any household can pay. It is 's figure for typical use. The cap controls the rates, so using more still costs more.
By Graeme · Published 1 August 2026 · 6 min read
Last updated · Figures checked
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From 1 October to 31 December 2026, the energy is £1,723 a year for a typical home in Scotland paying for gas and electricity by Direct Debit. That is 4%, or about £60 a year, more than in the summer. , the energy , sets slightly different rates for the north and south of Scotland, and a home can still pay much more or much less.
Energy price cap October to December 2026
The cap depends on how you pay. These are 's yearly figures for a typical home using 2,500 of electricity and 9,500 of gas.
Ofgem energy price cap
Typical yearly bill by payment method
| How you pay | July to September 2026 | October to December 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct Debit | £1,663 | £1,723 | 4% higher |
| Paying when the bill arrives | £1,796 | £1,861 | 4% higher |
| Prepayment meter | £1,620 | £1,678 | 4% higher |
| Economy 7, Direct Debit | £1,039 | £1,046 | 1% higher |
You may have seen £1,862 quoted for the summer. That was the same cap measured on 's older idea of typical use. From July 2026 assumes about 7% less electricity and 17% less gas, which makes the headline figure smaller without changing any rate. On the old measure the summer cap was £1,862, up 13% from £1,641 in the spring, and the October cap would be £1,935.
Energy price cap Scotland: North and South Scotland rates
splits Scotland into two regions. South Scotland covers Glasgow, Edinburgh and the south. North Scotland covers Aberdeen, Inverness, the Highlands and islands. has a postcode checker on its website if you are not sure which you are in.
Direct Debit, 1 October to 31 December 2026
Energy price cap rates in Scotland
| Region | Electricity per kWh | Electricity per day | Gas per kWh | Gas per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Scotland | 26.35p | 55.14p | 7.87p | 29.87p |
| South Scotland | 26.11p | 61.41p | 7.87p | 29.89p |
| Great Britain average | 26.32p | 54.83p | 7.97p | 29.68p |
At 's typical use, those rates work out at about £1,717 a year in North Scotland and £1,734 in South Scotland, against £1,723 for Great Britain as a whole. That is my sum from the published rates.
The bigger difference is the electricity . South Scotland pays 61.41p a day, against a 54.83p average. That is about £224 a year before you use any electricity at all.
Single rate electricity, 1 October to 31 December 2026
Electricity rates in Scotland by how you pay
| Region and charge | Direct Debit | Paying on the bill | Prepayment |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Scotland, per kWh | 26.35p | 27.83p | 25.54p |
| North Scotland, per day | 55.14p | 63.67p | 55.14p |
| South Scotland, per kWh | 26.11p | 27.58p | 25.31p |
| South Scotland, per day | 61.41p | 70.19p | 61.41p |
Why it is not a cap on the bill
limits the unit rate for each and the daily on a default . The £1,723 figure applies those rates to an assumed amount of gas and electricity. It is a comparison tool, not a maximum invoice.
- Use more energy and the bill can be higher than £1,723.
- Use less and it can be lower.
- A fixed follows the contract rate instead of changing with this cap period.
Price cap per kWh: the unit rates
26.32p
average for a of electricity, Direct Debit, October to December 2026
Gas is 7.97p a . From July to September the averages were 26.11p for electricity and 7.33p for gas.
These are Great Britain averages. Actual regional rates differ, as the Scottish tables above show, and prepayment or paying when the bill arrives produces different numbers.
The standing charge
A is paid for each day the supply is connected, even if almost no energy is used. The October 2026 averages are 54.83p a day for electricity and 29.68p for gas. That is roughly £308 a year before buying a unit of energy. In July it was 57.19p and 29.04p, or roughly £315 a year.
Why turning everything off cannot make the bill zero
Cutting use reduces the unit part. It does not remove the . That matters most to a low use household because the fixed daily amount takes a larger share of the bill.
No VAT on electricity until March 2027
The UK Government has cut VAT on household electricity from 5% to zero from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027. Gas still carries 5% VAT. says the cap would have been about £45 a year higher without the cut, and that gas bills went up about 8% this time while electricity stayed broadly the same.
Homes that heat with electricity rather than gas get the most from the VAT cut. It also means October's rates cannot be compared exactly with earlier ones.
Energy price cap January 2027
sets a new cap every three months. The next one covers 1 January to 31 March 2027. published the July cap on 27 May and the October cap on 26 August, so the January figure is expected in late November 2026. Until then, any January figure you see is a by a consultancy, not the cap.
says some fixed deals were available at £100 or more below the October cap. If you compare a fix, check the exit fees, the length of the deal and the unit rates and standing charges in your region, not only the headline yearly figure.
Who the cap covers
The cap covers domestic default tariffs in Scotland, England and Wales. It does not set the price of heating oil, bottled gas or communal heat networks. A fixed deal is also governed by its contract while it lasts.
Check the name, payment method, unit rates and standing charges on the bill. Do not compare only the monthly Direct Debit: suppliers can change that payment to catch up with debt or build credit even when the rates stay the same.
If you cannot afford energy
- Contact the supplier early and ask for an affordable repayment plan.
- Ask whether grants, hardship funds or the Warm Home Discount apply.
- Give meter readings so estimates do not hide the real position.
- Check the Scottish winter payments: the Winter Heating Payment for people on some low income benefits, and the winter fuel payment in Scotland for pension age households.
- In an immediate emergency, check the Scottish Crisis Grant or call your council using the Crisis Grant phone numbers.
Lower does not undo the price rises already built into energy, food and rent. Read why prices stay high when inflation falls.
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