Price cap going up in april (53% or extra £693)

[Fishettibean]

Ofgem has increased the cap for electricity and gas prices by 53% in April. That means an extra £693, if on the variable cap rate.

 

[Lguk]

is the per unit charge listed anywhere? - having no idea how I compared to the 'average' home they quote is about as much use as a kick in teeth.

 

[biffo]

Ofgem has increased the cap for electricity and gas prices by 53% in April. That means an extra £693, if on the variable cap rate.

I wish I was this mythical 'average household' - coming off a fixed rate and then having a 53% increase in addition to what I'll move on to is not going to be fun - at the same time as I get hit by the additional 1.25% rate increase in both Employers and Employees NI.

Still - I'm incredibly fortunate that whilst the extra several hundred pounds will be felt each month, it won't cause the financial distress it will some others.

 

[Lguk]

Found this: From 1 April the equivalent per unit level of the price cap to the nearest pence for a typical customer paying by direct debit will be 28p per kWh for electricity customers and 7p per kWh for gas customers

From here:

Price cap to increase by £693 from April

The energy price cap will increase from 1 April for approximately 22 million customers.

www.ofgem.gov.uk

 

[Lovemyev]

I wish I was this mythical 'average household' - coming off a fixed rate and then having a 53% increase in addition to what I'll move on to is not going to be fun - at the same time as I get hit by the additional 1.25% rate increase in both Employers and Employees NI.

Still - I'm incredibly fortunate that whilst the extra several hundred pounds will be felt each month, it won't cause the financial distress it will some others.

Watch the prices of things rocket up now !.
What about the old people in care homes etc.
This cost will be passed onto the bill payer.
Bless them, they don’t ask for much.
Just to be kept warm, regular meals and looked after !.
Council run care homes will pass on the increase to the rate payers, and so on it goes.
Paid our usual trip to the supermarket yesterday ( Tesco ) picked up a box of cereal.
It had increased in price for £4.00 to £4.50 in one week.
Under neath the price it said :-
“Lower everyday prices”.
They really are taking it !.
Probably have 10,000 boxes in the warehouse, that they bought months ago at a £1 a box !.
Everybody in the world will now be paying for the money lost in the pandemic.

 

[biffo]

Found this: From 1 April the equivalent per unit level of the price cap to the nearest pence for a typical customer paying by direct debit will be 28p per kWh for electricity customers and 7p per kWh for gas customers

From here:

Price cap to increase by £693 from April

The energy price cap will increase from 1 April for approximately 22 million customers.

www.ofgem.gov.uk

Just did a comparison and Sainsbury's Energy was cheapest Fixed for my usage - they're talking 33p per kWh for electricity and 9p per kWh - so even the updated price cap looks a better option, until it changes again in 6 months.

What the prices of things rocket up now !.
What about the old people in care homes etc.
This cost will be passed onto the bill payer.
Bless them, they don’t ask for much.
Just to be kept warm, regular meals and looked after !.
Council run care homes will pass on the increase to the rate payers, and so on it goes.
Paid our usual trip to the supermarket yesterday ( Tesco ) picked up a box of cereal.
It had increased in price for £4.00 to £4.50 in one week.
Under neath the price it said :-
“Lower everyday prices”.
They really are taking it !.
Probably have 10,000 boxes in the warehouse, that they bought months ago at a £1 a box !.
Everybody in the world will now be paying for the money lost in the pandemic.

I've noticed for a while that groceries are increasing in cost - and not everyone has the luxury of buying in bulk to make the small savings. Just now, food and energy billing are going to cripple families and it's an utterly depressing situation - it must create such despair for those impacted worse.

 

[EVsince2016]

What the prices of things rocket up now !.
What about the old people in care homes etc.
This cost will be passed onto the bill payer.
Bless them, they don’t ask for much.
Just to be kept warm, regular meals and looked after !.
Council run care homes will pass on the increase to the rate payers, and so on it goes.
Paid our usual trip to the supermarket yesterday ( Tesco ) picked up a box of cereal.
It had increased in price for £4.00 to £4.50 in one week.
Under neath the price it said :-
“Lower everyday prices”.
They really are taking it !.
Probably have 10,000 boxes in the warehouse, that they bought months ago at a £1 a box !.
Everybody in the world will now be paying for the money lost in the pandemic.

Just shop at Lidl / Aldi - better products, much lower prices, just a narrower range.

 

[Lovemyev]

Just did a comparison and Sainsbury's Energy was cheapest Fixed for my usage - they're talking 33p per kWh for electricity and 9p per kWh - so even the updated price cap looks a better option, until it changes again in 6 months.


I've noticed for a while that groceries are increasing in cost - and not everyone has the luxury of buying in bulk to make the small savings. Just now, food and energy billing are going to cripple families and it's an utterly depressing situation - it must create such despair for those impacted worse.

Families will be skipping things like house and contents insurance to help pay their energy bills !.
We all know how this will end up.
There are thousands of people living out of food banks right now, where does the government really think people are getting the money from to pay these ridiculous prices !.
Honestly, I am not politically motivated in any way, but these buggers are not in touch with the real world ?.
Energy prices impact just about everything !.

 

[Lguk]

As a double kick in the plums, EE just emailed me to say my mobile bill is going up in line with the RPI, which is now 7.5% - vs the 3.5% increases they were asking for a few years ago.

I guess the thing to weigh up right now is Fixed rate and cheaper 4 hours at night, total cost, vs price cap 24 hours.

 

[biffo]

Time to arrange an updated Home Energy survey and start the process of applying for Energy Savings Trust loans for solar panels - possibly battery too but perhaps not given I WFH and have a hot water tank which excess electricity can be diverted to, saving gas - although the energy assessor will advise.

 

[Lovemyev]

As a double kick in the plums, EE just emailed me to say my mobile bill is going up in line with the RPI, which is now 7.5% - vs the 3.5% increases they were asking for a few years ago.

I guess the thing to weigh up right now is Fixed rate and cheaper 4 hours at night, total cost, vs price cap 24 hours.

BT / Sky / Mortgages etc etc.
All heading down the same path, just like sheep ? !.
All getting in on the race to grab your cash !.
Workers then demanding higher pay increases to keep their heads above the water.
The merry-go-round starts up again !,

 

[Les burrows]

Time to arrange an updated Home Energy survey and start the process of applying for Energy Savings Trust loans for solar panels - possibly battery too but perhaps not given I WFH and have a hot water tank which excess electricity can be diverted to, saving gas - although the energy assessor will

Hi biffo, be very careful solar panels yes deafO to that one if your home is suitable for the them, really you need to mount them facing south or south west to get the best from them. I have had them now for going on 8 years 3.9kws and they have been worth every penny, best investment I ever made up to my EV coming along, but I’m not to sure about a battery, the reason for this is I like you still have a water tank with an Immersion heater fitted and use that for around 7/8 months of the year rather than my gas boiler I turn my gas boiler off in the spring and summer don’t need it, also I have the car now so charge that at home during the day as much as I need to, washing machine tumble dryer plus other electrical items try to use them in daylight hours where possible, so by doing this there’s not much left to charge a home battery I have look into them as my son has one with his solar array around 5.5kws but the cost I don’t think is worth it for me right now, if your out of the house a lot during the day and have solar then it might well be worth the extra cost but not in my case I don’t think.

I have just read through this thread and what is written here is correct and very up to date and after just watching the news again for about the 3/4 time today it is very worrying for a lot people how they are going to manage they homes and bills.
With regard to shopping as pointed out by LovemyEV prices for almost everything are rising week on week, but no one has mentioned the cost of fossil fuels which is still on the increase, (thank god i got rid off that), a friend of mine is a Courier driver and he was telling me only a week back that his fuel bill for his medium size van has gone up by around 40% in the last few months and it must be the same for the HGVs that deliver items to our shops and supermarket so it’s not all down to gas & electric prices.
God help us if a war kicks off in the east, the price of gas will shoot up that you can bet on, we might even get cut off completely so if you can get solar and your home is right for it and of course you can afford it, go for it now I say to you.
Les

 

[biffo]

Hi biffo, be very careful solar panels yes deafO to that one if your home is suitable for the them, really you need to mount them facing south or south west to get the best from them. I have had them now for going on 8 years 3.9kws and they have been worth every penny, best investment I ever made up to my EV coming along, but I’m not to sure about a battery, the reason for this is I like you still have a water tank with an Immersion heater fitted and use that for around 7/8 months of the year rather than my gas boiler I turn my gas boiler off in the spring and summer don’t need it, also I have the car now so charge that at home during the day as much as I need to, washing machine tumble dryer plus other electrical items try to use them in daylight hours where possible, so by doing this there’s not much left to charge a home battery I have look into them as my son has one with his solar array around 5.5kws but the cost I don’t think is worth it for me right now, if your out of the house a lot during the day and have solar then it might well be worth the extra cost but not in my case I don’t think.

I have just read through this thread and what is written here is correct and very up to date and after just watching the news again for about the 3/4 time today it is very worrying for a lot people how they are going to manage they homes and bills.
With regard to shopping as pointed out by LovemyEV prices for almost everything are rising week on week, but no one has mentioned the cost of fossil fuels which is still on the increase, (thank god i got rid off that), a friend of mine is a Courier driver and he was telling me only a week back that his fuel bill for his medium size van has gone up by around 40% in the last few months and it must be the same for the HGVs that deliver items to our shops and supermarket so it’s not all down to gas & electric prices.
God help us if a war kicks off in the east, the price of gas will shoot up that you can bet on, we might even get cut off completely so if you can get solar and your home is right for it and of course you can afford it, go for it now I say to you.
Les

Affordability is key issue - luckily Scotland has 0% loan over 10 years for solar panels and/or battery - which should cover most of the cost. Luckily my Home Energy Report provider has three EVs, solar panels and their partner works with EV battery technology so hoping their recommendations match my limited knowledge - I share your view on batteries, might not quite work for my use case. Also got a four sided roof, facing South, East, etc. Available surface area may be an issue but time will tell ?

 

[Deleted member 823]

@biffo - can you share the process about the Home Energy report please? I'm interested in that but no nothing about it so would appreciate hearing from someone first hand

 

[biffo]

@biffo - can you share the process about the Home Energy report please? I'm interested in that but no nothing about it so would appreciate hearing from someone first hand

I think what I’m getting is a Home Energy Assessment which includes an Energy Performance Certificate - the thing you need to provide or receive when selling/buying a house.

I’m using someone that a friend recommended - they did a survey for government loans for replacement windows, etc - not sure of your location but I imagine there are lots of companies doing impartial Renewable Technology Surveys and recommendations.

These are the prerequisites for applying for the Green Deal 0% loans and grants in Scotland - not sure of the equivalent in the rest of the UK

Google

nextgenergy.co.uk

 

[seye]

As a double kick in the plums, EE just emailed me to say my mobile bill is going up in line with the RPI, which is now 7.5% - vs the 3.5% increases they were asking for a few years ago.

I guess the thing to weigh up right now is Fixed rate and cheaper 4 hours at night, total cost, vs price cap 24 hours.

Unlike energy companies you can still shop around for mobile. When you find a good deal tell EE and they will give you an offer. If they dont, leave

Sim only as if you are rolling over your contract you are happy with your phone.

Sim Only Deals ➡️ Get Cheapest Price, Sales | hotukdeals

Latest Sim Only ➤ deals & offers - November 2025 ☑️ Get the best discounts, cheapest price for Sim Only and save money on hotukdeals.

www.hotukdeals.com

 

[Lguk]

Unlike energy companies you can still shop around for mobile. When you find a good deal tell EE and they will give you an offer. If they dont, leave

Sim only as if you are rolling over your contract you are happy with your phone.

Sim Only Deals ➡️ Get Cheapest Price, Sales | hotukdeals

Latest Sim Only ➤ deals & offers - November 2025 ☑️ Get the best discounts, cheapest price for Sim Only and save money on hotukdeals.

www.hotukdeals.com

Thankfully my 24 month contract ends in May and I'll be switching to SIM only, but for 2 months I wont have much choice in the hike.

 

[Les burrows]

I think what I’m getting is a Home Energy Assessment which includes an Energy Performance Certificate - the thing you need to provide or receive when selling/buying a house.

I’m using someone that a friend recommended - they did a survey for government loans for replacement windows, etc - not sure of your location but I imagine there are lots of companies doing impartial Renewable Technology Surveys and recommendations.

These are the prerequisites for applying for the Green Deal 0% loans and grants in Scotland - not sure of the equivalent in the rest of the UK

Google

nextgenergy.co.uk

Hi again Biffo, that green deal you have in Scotland looks great wish we had it in England and yeh has arealhuman has said above please share with us how you get on as that would be interesting
You say your roof has four sides, well that could work well for you, my sons house as three side what I call a hip roof on it and his system works great as he as solar edge technologies on his system, he has about 2.5 kw on the east face and about 3.0kw on the south face so he’s gets output from early morning as the sun is rising from the east set and the for several hours of the day both arrays are pumping it out which is brilliant my array is facing mainly south so at this time of year the sun only gets round from about 9/10 am but it’s ok after that if it is sunny of course, but as my array is all facing the same way mine is just on a string inverter but not an issue really, but solar edge is the best if you go for a split array but of course it’s a little more expensive.
Les

 

[doogie]

From my recent experiences based on testing out a few different mobile SIMS.

If you are a BT or Plusnet customer, there are some good SIM only deals, and it's EE network.
However you don't get all the features of the EE network, BT does give you Wi-Fi calling, last time I checked Plusnet didn't.

I tried Voxi which is owned by Vodafone, fantastic value for money £10 for 15Gb, best PAYG deal in my opinion. I found Vodafone 4G speeds pretty good.

Recently moved to EE on a 12-month deal, £10 for 10Gb, good deal if you want EE network and all the features. I think the deal is hidden on the EE site, this is the site I used.

EE 10GB For £10 (12 Month SIM Only): With 5G & 6 Months Apple Music

 

[marcopolomt]

BT / Sky / Mortgages etc etc.
All heading down the same path, just like sheep ? !.
All getting in on the race to grab your cash !.
Workers then demanding higher pay increases to keep their heads above the water.
The merry-go-round starts up again !,

It's what happens when governments use the magical money tree. Rampant money printing (well, just numbers in a ledger) is what gives us inflation. So many extra billions globally created out of thin air, end result is inflation. Big gov spending always ends this way.