Ofgem has raised the cap from £1,738 to £1,849 for the average dual-fuel household. This will add about £9.25 per month to the average bill.
Energy customers have been advised to take a meter reading ahead of the price change, even if they have a smart meter, to ensure they are accurately charged for their energy use.
Gareth Kloet, spokesperson for Go.Compare Energy, said: “For households across the UK, 1 April is bringing with it bill rises across energy, broadband and mobile phone contracts to name a few. Even if you are on a smart meter, it’s a good idea to take a meter reading as close to 31 March/1 April as possible and to let your supplier know in order to be sure you aren’t charged at a higher rate for any units you used before the price rise.
“While these price rises are certainly worrying, there are things you can do as a billpayer to try and reduce the cost – if you haven’t already, it’s worth doing some research into the deals available. Take a close look at your current tariff and your energy usage, as well as any exit fees, and then head to a comparison website to see if any of the offers out there could save you some money.”
Tomorrow’s price hike follows warnings from a group of MPs last week that UK households could still be exposed to future price spikes.
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In a report on the support schemes the Government used to reduce the impact of energy bill price spikes, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) called for more attention to be paid to support for consumers at greater risk of fuel poverty and those falling behind with their energy bills.
The committee noted that in 2024, more than £3.7bn was owed for both domestic electricity and gas, compared with £1.8bn in 2021.
The report warned that, in the event of a price spike similar to the one during the energy crisis, existing schemes to protect against fluctuations in international gas prices won’t be sufficient to shield households.
