Ofgem has announced a third successive increase in the energy price cap, rising 6.4%, or over £100, to £1,849 a year for a typical household from 1 April1. The announcement was published by National Energy Action, the national fuel poverty charity, on 25 February 2025, alongside new polling it commissioned with YouGov1.
The polling found that 49% of adults in Great Britain expect to ration their energy in the coming months1. It also found that only 42% of adults in Great Britain say they have been able to comfortably afford their heating bill in the last three months, without needing to ration their heating or making cuts elsewhere1. The survey was carried out online with a total sample of 2,266 adults in Great Britain, weighted to be representative of all GB adults aged 18 and over, with fieldwork undertaken between 15 and 16 January 20251.
National Energy Action works across England, Wales and Northern Ireland1. The charity's chief executive, Adam Scorer, said the increase would add to the burden on the most vulnerable, and pointed to record levels of total energy debt1.
"For the third time in a row the price cap is rising. Households already faced sky-high bills as a result of the energy crisis, and today's announcement will add to the burden on the most vulnerable."
The charity set out three calls: additional targeted energy bill support through a social tariff or an expanded Warm Home Discount; a help-to-repay scheme to support households out of debt; and significant investment through the government's Warm Homes Plan to insulate the coldest homes for the poorest households1. The government has not responded to those calls in the material published by the charity, and no figures for the cost or scope of a social tariff, help-to-repay scheme or Warm Homes Plan investment are given1.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Price cap rise from 1 April | 6.4%, over £100 |
| Typical household annual bill from 1 April | £1,849 |
| Adults in GB likely to ration energy in coming months | 49% |
| Adults in GB who could comfortably afford heating in last three months | 42% |
Why it matters for households
The price cap sets a limit on the unit rate and standing charge a supplier can charge for default tariffs, so a 6.4% rise feeds directly into what a typical household pays across the year1. For a home already close to its budget, the practical effect of a higher standing charge and unit rate is that the same amount of heating, hot water and cooking costs more, and the gap is met either by spending more or by using less.
Rationing, as the polling frames it, means going without heating or making cuts elsewhere to cover the bill1. That is the point at which a household's energy independence is eroded: the home still has a supply, but the occupier controls less of how much of it is used, and comfort and health outcomes depend on price rather than need. The 42% figure suggests that fewer than half of adults in Great Britain felt able to meet their heating costs comfortably over the winter period covered by the survey1.
The charity's proposals target the affordability side rather than the volume of energy a home needs. Insulation, as described in its call on the Warm Homes Plan, addresses how much energy a property loses in the first place1. No detail on eligibility, funding levels or timings for any of the three measures has been reported1.
What happens next
The price cap change takes effect on 1 April 20251. The polling fieldwork was completed on 16 January 2025, before the cap announcement1. Ofgem's own documentation of the cap level and its methodology sits within the official energy statistics publications, and current and historical price cap levels are tracked in the site's market data section. Households new to the terminology of caps, standing charges and unit rates can start from the getting started pages.