The price cap moves on 1 October. Read your meter the night before

Ofgem resets the energy price cap every three months. A dated meter reading stops you paying the new rate on old usage.

Money · By the Natter Daily team · 1 min read · Friday 25 September 2026

Ofgem, the energy regulator, sets a new price cap every three months, and the next one starts on 1 October. The cap limits the unit rate and the daily standing charge your supplier can charge on a standard variable tariff. It doesn't cap your total bill, so the more you use, the more you pay.

Why the reading matters

If your supplier doesn't have an actual reading from around the changeover, it estimates one. Estimates can put some of September's use onto October's rate, or the other way round. A reading taken on 30 September or 1 October sorts that out.

How to do it

Find your meter. It's often in a cupboard under the stairs, in a box outside or in the hallway. Take a photo so the date is saved on your phone, then send the numbers to your supplier through its app or website. Do the gas meter too if you have one.

If you have a smart meter, check your latest bill or app shows actual readings, not estimates. Some older smart meters stop sending readings after a switch of supplier.

Keep the photo until your October bill arrives, and check the reading on it matches yours.