Our take on the energy price cap reduction [July 2019]

Ofgem has today announced that the energy price cap, which protects around 11 million default tariff customers, will fall this winter by £75 due to lower wholesale energy prices.

Ofgem has today announced that the energy price cap, which protects around 11 million default tariff customers, will fall this winter by £75 due to lower wholesale energy prices.

The energy regulator said the cap will be reduced from £1,254 to £1,179 from 1 October until March. Meanwhile, the pre-payment meter cap will fall from £1,242 to £1,217 per year for the same six-month period.

Commenting on the news, Energy Ombudsman chief executive Matthew Vickers said:

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"This reduction in the price cap is good news for the 11 million UK households on poor-value default tariffs but shouldn’t discourage people from shopping around for better deals.

When switching to a new supplier, we think it's important that consumers look at the customer service they can expect to receive as well as price.

This reduction in the price cap is good news for the 11 million UK households on poor-value default tariffs.

Online reviews and tools such as the Citizens Advice star rating league table – which is based partly on Energy Ombudsman complaints data – are excellent resources.

A good price doesn’t necessarily mean good value. Researching customer service as well as price will enable a consumer to make an informed decision about switching.”

Matthew Vickers Chief Executive, Energy Ombudsman

For more information on the energy price cap, visit the Ofgem website.