Overview

• Ofgem’s quarterly cap increases the typical dual‑fuel bill by about 2%—roughly £35 a year—to £1,755, affecting millions on standard variable tariffs, while fixed deals remain unchanged during their term.
• Major suppliers have set short submission windows: Scottish Power by Oct 5, E.ON Next Oct 6, Octopus Oct 8, EDF Oct 9, OVO Oct 11 and British Gas Oct 14.
• Uswitch advises customers without smart meters to submit readings on Sept 30 or Oct 1 so pre-rise usage is charged at September’s lower rates.
• If no reading is provided, companies will estimate consumption, which can lead to temporary overpayments or later catch‑up bills once actual usage is confirmed.
• Homes with working smart meters do not need to submit manual readings, and many suppliers allow short backdating of late readings—typically about a week—though policies vary.