Are energy prices still going up?
Electricity cost 2.5% higher than a year earlier in August 2026 and gas 8.6% higher. Compared with January 2021, household electricity is up 60% and gas 106%, against 32% for prices overall.
August 2026, on a year earlier. ↓ Down 5.5 points on the rate a year before.
August 2026, on a year earlier. ↓ Down 4.4 points on the rate a year before.
All home energy together, on a year earlier.
Home energy’s weight in the price index (2026): electricity 2.1%, gas 1.0%.
Energy prices over time
What’s this?
How much higher household electricity prices are than a year earlier.
What it cannot tell you: It is an average across households and tariffs. Your own bill depends on how much energy you use, your supplier and your tariff.
What’s this?
How much higher household gas prices are than a year earlier.
What it cannot tell you: It is an average across households and tariffs. Your own bill depends on how much energy you use, your supplier and your tariff.
What’s this?
How much higher the cost of electricity, gas and other fuels for the home is than a year earlier.
What it cannot tell you: It is an average across households and tariffs. Your own bill depends on how much energy you use, your supplier and your tariff.
What’s this?
How much higher the price of all energy, home energy and vehicle fuel together, is than a year earlier.
What it cannot tell you: It is an average across households and tariffs. Your own bill depends on how much energy you use, your supplier and your tariff.
Energy against prices overall
Price indices with 2015 set to 100. A bigger rise for electricity or gas than for prices overall means energy has become dearer relative to everything else.
| Prices | Index, August 2026 | Since Jan 2015 | Since Jan 2019 | Since Jan 2021 | On a year earlier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 194.0 | +94% | +68% | +60% | +2.5% |
| Gas | 159.9 | +54% | +74% | +106% | +8.6% |
| All prices | 143.6 | +45% | +35% | +32% | +3.1% |
Month by month
How much higher or lower prices were than twelve months before.
| Month | Electricity | Gas | Electricity, gas and other fuels |
|---|---|---|---|
| August 2026 | +2.5% | +8.6% | +6.0% |
| July 2026 | +2.1% | +8.0% | +5.0% |
| June 2026 | -5.2% | -12.6% | -6.6% |
| May 2026 | -5.6% | -13.1% | -6.2% |
| April 2026 | -6.0% | -13.5% | -5.7% |
| March 2026 | +5.6% | -2.8% | +5.0% |
| February 2026 | +5.3% | -3.1% | +2.1% |
| January 2026 | +5.3% | -2.7% | +2.1% |
| December 2025 | +2.7% | +2.1% | +2.5% |
| November 2025 | +2.8% | +2.1% | +2.6% |
| October 2025 | +2.7% | +2.1% | +2.2% |
| September 2025 | +8.0% | +13.0% | +9.4% |
Questions people ask
How much have energy prices risen?
Since January 2021 household electricity prices are up 60% and gas 106%, compared with 32% for prices overall (ONS Consumer Prices Index).
When were energy prices highest?
Electricity prices rose fastest in January 2023, +66.7% on a year earlier. Gas peaked in January 2023 at +129.4%. These are rates of change, not price levels.
If the rate falls, are prices falling?
No. A falling yearly rate means prices are still rising, only more slowly. Prices fall only when the rate goes below zero. Electricity prices were lower than a year earlier in 3 of the last 12 months.
What is the energy price cap?
Ofgem sets a limit on the price per unit of gas and electricity on standard tariffs and updates it every three months. It limits unit rates, not total bills. The cap is published by Ofgem; this page shows the ONS measure of what households pay across all tariffs.
Why do electricity prices follow gas prices?
Gas-fired power stations often set the wholesale price of electricity in Great Britain, so when gas gets dearer, electricity usually does too, even though much of the power now comes from wind and nuclear.
Sources: ONS Consumer Prices Index (series D7I7, D7I8, D7GT, DKL5, D7DT, D7DU, D7BT) and CPI weights. Updated every night.
See also: Energy · Inflation · Petrol and diesel · Where electricity comes from