One thing you need to do now to control your energy bills this winter
With over 10 years’ experience writing about consumer affairs, Sarah leads on energy content at Which?, helping customers navigate the market and exposing poor practice.
Fixing your energy tariff is your best bet to limit your gas bill this winter, amid rising prices.
Price-capped energy tariffs - that's any tariff that's out-of-contract (sometimes also marked as variable or flexible) - will rise by around 4% per year on 1 October. That's around £5 per month extra for a household using a medium amount of gas and electricity*. It is predicted to rise another 9% (or £12 per month) in January.
The price increase is unequal between gas and electricity. Gas prices will rise 8% this autumn, compared with only 1% for electricity.
That means if you're paying variable rates you'll feel the difference most on your gas usage, especially as the change comes at the same time you'll be turning on your central heating.
People with fixed deals aren't affected by the cap. Moving to a fixed tariff will give you predictable rates for the length of your contract. So your rates won't change even when the price cap does.
A typical household* can save around £115 per year compared with the October price cap.
You have a price-capped tariff if you didn't sign up to a new tariff when your fixed deal finished, or your tariff has no end date.
Find out how to get the best energy deal
Choosing an energy tariff: what to check
Compare energy prices to find out how much you could save with a fixed tariff. Our energy comparison service is a free, impartial tool to do this.
Make sure to select your current tariff and input your actual annual energy use (rather than using preset averages) to get the most accurate quote. You should be able to find both of these in your online account or app.
Make sure you'll save money compared with the energy price cap (or your current tariff). But bear in mind that the energy price cap changes every three months and price comparison services don't take this into account. The quotes you get this week, for example, won't factor in the fact that your variable prices will increase on 1 October, and again in January. So remember that your variable tariff might look more appealing than it actually is.
Also check:
- What your actual payments would be - for the most accurate estimate, multiply the rates by your energy use over the past year
- Exit fees - they're almost universal at the moment, and often £100 on a 12 month fixed tariff. This is how much you'd need to pay to leave during the contract
- Contract length - a very long contract leaves time for energy prices to change a lot
- Conditions - will you need to manage your account online only, get paperless bills or have a smart meter fitted?
- How you'll pay - it's usually cheapest to pay by monthly direct debit
- Customer service - is the company among the best energy suppliers for 2026?
Find out how to switch energy supplier
How to save money on energy if you've already fixed a tariff
If you're already on the cheapest fixed tariff for you, there are other tweaks you can make to limit your gas bill this winter:
- Add insulation where you can. This will have the most impact on your heating bills. Loft insulation is the cheapest and easiest option.
- Use heating controls efficiently. Use a timer and programmer so you only heat your home when you need it. Add thermostatic radiator valves to lower temperatures in areas you use less often and bleed and balance your radiators when they need it.
- Use less hot water. If you have a hot water tank (rather than a combi boiler), set your heating controls to turn your water heating on and off. Fit an eco shower head and aerator on your kitchen tap, too.
- Lower your flow temperature. If you have a combi boiler, you might be able to lower the temperature that hot water is supplied to your taps and radiators - many of us have this set unnecessarily high.
- Improve draughtproofing. Add draughtproofing strips around windows, doors and your loft hatch. Block your chimney with an inflatable pillow if you don't use your fireplace. Don't forget to leave ventilation where it's intended, though, to avoid condensation and damp.
To keep your electricity bills in check, consider which of your household appliances are the most energy guzzling and find out how to use them most efficiently. You can see all our energy-saving appliance advice in our guide to how much your appliances cost to run.
If you rent your home, whether or not you can switch depends on who pays the bills. Find out how to switch energy provider as a tenant.
*A typical household with medium energy use is defined by the energy regulator, Ofgem. This is currently set at a household usage of 9,500kWh of gas and 2,500kWh of electricity per year. If you use more or less than this, your bills will look different. We always encourage energy customers to use their own annual usage data to calculate quotes, so that you can see a more accurate picture of what a tariff means for you.
