Ofgem price cap update: what it means when your fixed deal ends
A dated note on the Ofgem default tariff cap and what it means for households when a fixed energy deal reaches its end date.
Published January 2026
What changed
Ofgem sets a default tariff cap on the unit rate and standing charge a supplier can charge a household on a standard variable tariff. The cap is reviewed and reset on a quarterly cycle.
Households on a fixed energy deal are not on the cap while the fix runs. When the fix ends, the supplier typically rolls the household onto its standard variable tariff at the cap level prevailing on that day, unless a new deal is taken before the end date.
What it means before the renewal date
The end date of a fixed energy deal is the date on which the unit rate and standing charge can change. Whether the move is a saving or a cost depends on the cap level at the time and on the fixed deals the supplier is offering then.
Any exit fee on the existing fixed deal applies before the end date, not after — so the choice to switch tariff early, fix again, or move to the variable rate is bounded by that date on the household's own contract documents.
What to do now
Check the fixed deal end date stated on the energy contract documents.
Check the current Ofgem cap level and the supplier's current standard variable tariff.
Check any exit fee on the existing fixed deal before the end date.
Related pages
Energy reminders
Track your energy renewal date so the next change is on your calendar, not the provider's.
Energy fixed tariff ending report 2026
Evidence on how UK prices move at this renewal — what households are paying and why.
What to check before your fixed energy tariff ends
A short guide to the dates, terms and decisions behind this renewal.
Sources
- Ofgem — Default tariff cap. Customers on a standard variable tariff are protected by the Ofgem default tariff cap, which is reset periodically.