Ofgem has decided to update the gas and electricity Typical Domestic Consumption Values (TDCVs) used across the energy sector, publishing its decision on 27 May 2026 and confirming the figures it proposed in its March 2026 consultation1. The new values take effect for communication purposes from 1 July 20261.
TDCVs are the industry standard estimates of annual household gas and electricity use. Ofgem says they are used "widely across the energy sector by industry, the media and consumer organisations to provide a consistent reference point for communicating prices and bills when a customer's actual usage is not known"1. They also feed into the price cap methodology as benchmark consumption1.
The confirmed figures are lower than the 2023 values across every usage level and fuel1.
| Fuel and meter type | Usage level | 2023 TDCV | 2026 TDCV | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity, single-rate (kWh/year) | Low | 1,800 | 1,600 | -200 |
| Electricity, single-rate (kWh/year) | Medium | 2,700 | 2,500 | -200 |
| Electricity, single-rate (kWh/year) | High | 4,100 | 3,800 | -300 |
| Electricity, multi-rate (kWh/year) | Low | 2,200 | 1,900 | -300 |
| Electricity, multi-rate (kWh/year) | Medium | 3,900 | 3,400 | -500 |
| Electricity, multi-rate (kWh/year) | High | 6,700 | 6,100 | -600 |
| Gas (kWh/year) | Low | 7,500 | 6,000 | -1,500 |
| Gas (kWh/year) | Medium | 11,500 | 9,500 | -2,000 |
| Gas (kWh/year) | High | 17,000 | 14,000 | -3,000 |
Ofgem received eleven responses to the consultation, comprising nine suppliers, one consumer group and one industry body1. It reports broad support for updating the values, alongside some concern that the methodology may overstate consumption given recent trends, and calls to revisit the methodology over review frequency and cost reflectivity1.
"Having considered the responses to our March 2026 consultation, we have decided to update the gas and electricity TDCVs with the proposed values set out in our consultation."
Two elements are unchanged. Ofgem has kept the Economy 7 consumption split at 58 per cent peak and 42 per cent off-peak, saying "there will be no updates to the consumption split as part of this review, remaining unchanged from our previous review"1. It has also maintained its proposed approach of applying a seasonal normal adjustment to the gas TDCV, using "the well-established adjustment from DESNZ's sub-national consumption dataset to address very low (including nil) consumption meter points"1.
Ofgem describes its current practice as reviewing TDCVs every two years under its established framework1. The previous review was carried out in 20231.
Why it matters for households
TDCVs are not a cap on what any household uses or pays. They are the reference figures used to turn unit rates and standing charges into the illustrative annual bill quoted when the price cap changes, and to compare movements in the cap over time1. Lower TDCVs mean the quoted "typical" bill is calculated on less energy than before, so the same unit rates produce a smaller illustrative annual figure. A household using more than the medium values will not see its own bill fall for that reason.
For a home's energy independence, the change is a measurement matter rather than a change to supply, tariffs or standing charges. It affects how consumption is described in comparisons, quotes and media coverage, and it changes the benchmark consumption used as an input to the price cap methodology1. Ofgem frames the update as reflecting sustained reductions in typical household demand, which it attributes to energy efficiency, changing patterns of use within the home, climatic changes and behavioural responses to affordability pressures1. Households comparing their own usage against published typical figures should note that the yardstick itself has moved down.
What happens next
Ofgem's decision document sets out four stages: the consultation opened on 25 March 2026, responses closed on 20 April 2026, the decision was published on 27 May 2026, and implementation of the new TDCV values follows on 1 July 20261. Ofgem states its expectation that "all market participants would similarly start using the new TDCVs from implementation date and not before it"1. The decision sits alongside Ofgem's November 2025 decision on benchmark consumption, which committed to aligning future updates to benchmark consumption with changes in TDCV1.
Sources1 cited
- Review of typical domestic consumption values: decision, ofgem.gov.uk