Gas and electricity statements could be slashed after the Chancellor outlines shake-up which will see more cash in householders pockets
Brits will soon find out whether they’ll see a drop in their energy bills(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Brits could be in store for a fall in their energy bills in a shake-up of costs after the Government promised households will receive an average £150 cut.
Households will find out soon whether their bills are ser to fall by around 7% from April. Latest predictions suggest Ofgem will reduce the energy price cap by £117 to £1,641 a year for a typical dual fuel household from April 1 – when it makes its announcement on Wednesday. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said, in November, that £150 would be cut from the average household bill from April by scrapping the Energy Company Obligation (Eco) scheme, introduced by the former Tory government.
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Customers however have been warned not to expect a straight £150 discount on their bills, as the cut will depend on the size and type of household and how much energy it uses.
The reduction is expected to be primarily applied through a lower price per unit of electricity used. People have been advised to look out for information from their supplier explaining this after the price cap announcement.
Cornwall Insight said the changes will reduce the cap by about £145 a year once VAT and pricing allowances within the cap methodology are taken into account. It added that increases in charges associated with the operation and maintenance of Britain’s energy networks have offset part of the savings.
Wholesale prices had also risen slightly since its last forecast in December, with the cost of gas particularly volatile due to “geopolitical factors”. Looking further ahead, Cornwall said wholesale costs were still lower than when Ofgem set the January cap level and it expected the cap to remain “relatively steady” throughout 2026, “with only a small rise forecast in July”.
Ned Hammond, deputy director of customer policy at Energy UK, which represents firms, said: “At a time when many households are struggling with their bills, action taken by the Government to provide a considerable discount on energy bills is hugely welcome.
“While the saving will be £150 for the average household, it is important to note that the discount is applied to the unit rate. Therefore, households will experience significantly different savings depending on their energy consumption, some much higher and others substantially lower than £150.
“In addition, other moving parts, such as network charges and wholesale costs, mean energy bills will not necessarily fall in line with the saving provided. Indeed, the price cap is projected to drop by around £115 from 1 April.”
Which? energy editor Emily Seymour said: “Households can expect a significant cut to their energy bills in April, which will come as a relief to millions of people struggling with cost-of-living pressures. The bulk of this change is expected to be applied to your electricity price per unit, so your exact savings will depend on your usage; look out for communications from your energy provider in the coming weeks to see how it will affect your bills.”
Simon Francis, co-ordinator of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition, urged households to note the changes in unit costs and standing charges, rather than focus on the headline “average energy bill”.
He said: “We know that energy bills can be confusing and trying to decide when to switch tariffs or change supplier is a big decision which can overwhelm people.
“As well as setting the price cap, Ofgem should play a greater role in ensuring that the tariffs reaching the market are fair and don’t discriminate against specific customer groups. Sadly the responsibility currently falls to households to pay careful attention to any changes in their unit costs and standing charges.”