London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Aug 08, 2025

Energy bills could go up before October price cap rise

Energy bills could go up before October price cap rise

Energy bills could increase ahead of the expected rise in October, the UK's energy regulator has revealed.
Ofgem and industry body Energy UK said it was "possible" for suppliers to raise customers' direct debits before the new cap on energy prices kicks in.

Any rises would be to help spread the cost of higher energy use in the winter months, Ofgem said.

Households have been warned of sharp rises in energy prices, with average bills forecast to reach £4,200 in 2023.

Ofgem said direct debits are usually charged in a way so that customers build up "credit" during the warmer summer months when usage is lower, to spread out the cost of using more energy in the colder months.

"It's therefore possible for direct debits to increase ahead of a price cap rise or even when a customer's use has remained constant," an Ofgem spokesperson said.

However, Ofgem said customers can ask for their excess credit to be "returned at any time and can contact their suppliers to change how their direct debit is spread".

"For example, they pay for exactly what they used in that month and do not build up a credit ahead of winter," Ofgem said.

Ofgem confirmed direct debits could be increased before October, after Martin Lewis of Money Saving Expert, told the Today programme that direct debits were going to "start rising pretty much immediately on the 26 August before the new prime minister's in place".

"As soon as the announcement is made from Ofgem on the 26 August, that crystallizes the direct debits going up," he said.

The BBC has contacted British Gas, EDF, Eon, Ovo Energy and Octopus for comment.

Energy UK, the trade body for the energy industry, said direct debits were "reviewed periodically" with suppliers taking into account factors including estimated usage, current tariffs, debit/credit balances and recent meter reads.

"It is, therefore, possible some customers' direct debts will change in advance of October," a statement said.

"All suppliers must, however, ensure that direct debits are set correctly based on all relevant information available at the time of review, and that they communicate any changes in a way that helps consumers understand their payments for energy."

A new price cap - determining the maximum suppliers can charge customers for energy usage in England, Scotland and Wales - is due to be announced at the end of this month, but will come into effect in October.

Consultants Cornwall Insights expects this to rise to £3,582 a year, due to the ongoing war in Ukraine pushing up global wholesale gas prices, and have warned of further rises over the winter.

Ofgem said protecting consumers was its "top priority", adding "suppliers must ensure that direct debit payments are based on the best and most current information available to them".
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
OpenAI Launches GPT‑5, Its Most Advanced AI Model Yet
Embarrassment in Britain: Homelessness Minister Evicted Tenants and Forced to Resign
President Trump nominated Stephen Miran, his top economic adviser and a critic of the Federal Reserve, to temporarily fill an open Fed seat
The AI-Powered Education Revolution: Market Potential and Transformative Impact
Chikungunya Virus Outbreak in Southern China: Over 7,000 Hospitalized
French wine makers have seen catastrophic damage to vines that were almost ready to be harvested after the worst fires in more than 70 years burned through the south of the country
US Lawmaker Probes Intel CEO’s China Ties Amid National Security Concerns
Brazilian President Lula says he’ll contact the leaders of BRICS states to propose a unified response to U.S. tariffs
Trump Open to Meeting Putin as Soon as Next Week, with Possible Trilateral Summit Including Zelenskiy
Katy Perry and Justin Trudeau spark dating rumors, joining high stakes world of celeb-politician romances
US envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Moscow to seek a breakthrough in the Ukraine war ahead of President Trump’s peace deadline
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Karol Nawrocki Inaugurated as Poland’s President, Setting Stage for Clash with Tusk Government
Trump Signals JD Vance as ‘Most Likely’ MAGA Successor for 2028
US Charges Two Chinese Nationals for Illegal Nvidia AI Chip Exports
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
U.S. Tariff Policy Triggers Market Volatility Amid Growing Global Trade Tensions
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
Representative Greene Urges H-1B Visa Cuts Amid U.S.-India Trade Tensions
U.S. House Committee Subpoenas Clintons and Senior Officials in Epstein Investigation
Sydney Sweeney Registered as Republican as Controversial American Eagle Ad Sparks Debate
Trump Accuses Major Banks of Politically Motivated Account Denials and Prepares Executive Order
TikTok Removes Huda Kattan Video Over Anti-Israel Conspiracy Claims
Trump Threatens Tariffs on India Over Russian Oil Imports
German Finance Minister Criticizes Trump’s Attacks on Institutions
U.S. Proposes Visa Bond of Up to $15,000 for Some Applicants
U.S. Farmers Increase Lobbying Amid Immigration Crackdown
Elon Musk Receives $23.7 Billion Tesla Stock Award
Texas House Paralyzed After Democrats Walk Out Over Redistricting
Mexican Cartels Complicate Sheinbaum’s U.S. Security Talks
Mark Zuckerberg Declares War on the iPhone
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
Tesla Seeks Shareholder Approval for $29 Billion Compensation Package for Elon Musk
Nvidia is cutting prices on its RTX 50-series graphics cards after sales slowed and inventories piled up
Ghislaine Maxwell Transferred to Minimum-Security Prison Amid Ongoing DOJ Discussions
U.S. Tariffs Surge to Highest Levels in Nearly a Century Under Second Trump Term
Matt Taibbi Slams Media for Role in Russiagate Narrative
Pilots Call for Mental Health Support Without Stigma
All Five Trapped Miners Found Dead After El Teniente Mine Collapse
Ong Beng Seng Pleads Guilty in Corruption Case Linked to Former Singapore Transport Minister
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
Italy Fines Shein One Million Euros for Misleading Sustainability Claims
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
Declassified Annex Links Soros‑Affiliated Officials and Clinton Campaign to ‘Russiagate’ Narrative
×