Energy Bills to Drop Under New Ofgem Price Cap
The UK’s new energy price cap, set by Ofgem, will fall from April to June 2026.
Offering modest relief for households across Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, as well as the wider regions of England and Wales and Scotland. The cap is dropping by about 7%, reducing the typical annual dual-fuel bill for households paying by direct debit.
The energy price cap is not a limit on your total bill. Instead, it caps the maximum unit price suppliers can charge for gas and electricity on standard variable tariffs. If you use more energy, you still pay more overall. This means homes in the Bristol area with higher energy use — such as larger family houses or poorly insulated older properties — will still face bigger bills despite the reduction.
For consumers locally, the main impact is slightly lower average costs. Typical households will see some savings compared with the previous quarter. However, daily standing charges for electricity are rising slightly, which reduces the benefit for lower-usage households, including many flats and smaller homes common in parts of Bristol.
The reduction is mainly driven by lower wholesale energy prices and policy changes. Even so, rising network and infrastructure costs linked to grid upgrades in the South West are offsetting part of the saving.
Despite the cut, energy remains expensive. Bills are still significantly higher than before the energy crisis, and affordability concerns persist. This is particularly relevant in North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, where many homes rely heavily on gas heating and where rural properties can be harder and more costly to keep warm.
In practical terms, households on variable tariffs will see prices fall automatically from April. Those on fixed deals will not be directly affected but may benefit from competitive offers. Overall, the new price cap brings welcome but limited relief for consumers across the wider Bristol region and throughout England, Wales and Scotland.
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