Last updated: Sunday 27 September 2026 (Europe/London).
Next update: when Ofgem reprints the next quarterly price-cap standing charges (January 2027 window) or regional tables move.
By: Switch Editorial Team, Switch Squid Ltd
As of 27 September 2026, the standing-charge story for October–December is mixed: Ofgem’s national Direct Debit averages put electricity at 54.83p a day (down from 57.19p in July–September) and gas at 29.68p a day (up from 29.04p), while the dual-fuel typical bill sketch for the same period is £1,723 — about 4% above July–September’s £1,663. That means a “cheap unit rate” tile can still lose once daily standing stacks, and a low-use flat feels standing harder than a high-use house. Primary Compare buttons use MoneySuperMarket’s residential energy journey — never SwitchSquid’s business-energy form on this page.
Source: Ofgem energy price cap unit rates and standing charges (announced 26 August 2026 for 1 October–31 December 2026). We may earn a commission if you switch through our links.
Compare energy deals (standing + unit rates) →
What a standing charge is (in plain English)
A standing charge is the daily fixed cost of keeping your supply connected. You pay it whether you boil one kettle or run a heat pump all winter. Unit rates charge you for each kilowatt hour you actually use. Ofgem’s price cap limits both for default / standard variable tariffs — it does not freeze your total bill at £1,723.
Standing charges fund network costs, metering, policy schemes and supplier fixed costs. They differ by region, payment method and meter type. National averages are a sketch, not your postcode’s exact pence.
October 2026 Direct Debit averages at a glance
| Fuel | Jul–Sep 2026 standing | Oct–Dec 2026 standing | Oct–Dec unit rate | VAT note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 57.19p/day | 54.83p/day | 26.32p/kWh | 0% VAT 1 Oct 2026–31 Mar 2027 |
| Gas | 29.04p/day | 29.68p/day | 7.97p/kWh | 5% VAT included in Ofgem averages |
Rough annual standing maths at those Oct–Dec national averages (365 days): electricity about £200, gas about £108 — roughly £308 combined before a single unit of energy. Low users notice that floor; high users notice the unit-rate side of the £1,723 sketch more.
Run live quotes with your usage →
Why electricity standing fell while gas rose
Ofgem updates the cap every quarter. For Oct–Dec 2026 the published national Direct Debit table shows electricity standing easing by about 2.36p/day versus July–September, while gas standing edges up by about 0.64p/day. Unit rates also move: electricity to 26.32p/kWh and gas to 7.97p/kWh on the same national averages. Wholesale, networks, policy and the temporary 0% VAT window on electricity all sit inside that package — avoid treating a single viral graphic as the whole explanation.
Payment method matters. The £1,723 figure is Direct Debit dual-fuel typical on Ofgem’s 2026 TDCV (2,500 kWh electricity / 9,500 kWh gas). Prepayment and standard credit have different presentational levels. Economy 7 and other multi-rate meters use different unit structures even when standing charges still apply.
How standing charges decide a switch
Compare standing charges and unit rates together, for both fuels, over 12 months of your real kWh — not a screenshot of someone else’s “save £400” tile.
- Pull 12 months of kWh (or your best annual estimate) and your region.
- Note payment method and meter type (single-rate, Economy 7, prepay).
- Sketch expected SVT using Ofgem’s regional tables where you can, not only the national average.
- On MoneySuperMarket, rank dual-fuel and single-fuel fixeds by estimated annual cost for the same usage.
- Check exit fees on any current fixed before you pay to leave early.
- Switch only if the all-in Year-1 figure wins after standing charges.
Low users, high users and “no standing charge” claims
Low-use flats and second homes feel standing charges as a larger share of the bill. High-use homes with heat pumps, EVs or electric heating feel unit rates harder. A tariff that advertises a very low or zero standing charge almost always pushes the cost into a higher unit rate — it can win for tiny usage and lose badly for average or heavy use. As of late September 2026, zero-standing options remain niche and often meter-specific; treat any claim as checkout-verified, not brochure-verified.
Split suppliers versus dual-fuel can also change the standing picture: two single-fuel contracts mean two standing stacks. See our split-suppliers guide if that is your setup, then come back here for the October pence.
Fit summary
Good for: SVT households shopping before the Oct–Dec cap period who want standing + unit maths, not exit-fee theatre alone.
Consider alternatives: if you are deep inside a fixed with a steep exit fee, do the fee vs Year-1 maths first (our exit-fees October guide). If you are on Economy 7 or an EV tariff, compare multi-rate products, not only dual-fuel Direct Debit tiles.
Important conditions
- Ofgem averages are national; your region’s standing charge can sit above or below 54.83p / 29.68p.
- £1,723 is a typical-use sketch, not a personal bill guarantee.
- Fixed deals sit outside the cap — their standing charges are set by the supplier’s tariff, not by Ofgem’s SVT table.
- Electricity VAT at 0% (1 Oct 2026–31 Mar 2027) affects how electricity costs present; gas VAT stays 5% in the published averages.
- Business sites must use our separate business-energy quote path — not the residential Compare buttons on this page.
Compare October dual-fuel options →
Switching steps (twenty minutes)
1) Find tariff name, end date and exit clause on your bill.
2) Export usage.
3) Open MoneySuperMarket with the same postcode and kWh.
4) Sort by estimated annual cost; open the tariff label for standing charge and unit rate.
5) Add any exit fee to Year-1 cost.
6) Switch if the all-in figure wins; otherwise diary the next Ofgem announcement.
Final decision card
If standing charges dominate your bill: hunt lower combined standing + honest unit rates for your low kWh.
If unit rates dominate: a sharp fixed that beats 26.32p / 7.97p on your usage can still win even if standing is average.
If the paper saving is thinner than your exit fee: stay or wait.
Compare deals and check standing charges →
Worked standing-charge shapes (illustrative, not quotes)
Example A — low-use flat: You use about 1,800 kWh electricity and 5,000 kWh gas. Standing near £308/year is a large share of the bill, so a dual-fuel fixed with slightly higher unit rates but lower combined standing can beat a flashy “cheap unit rate” tile. Re-run MoneySuperMarket with honest low usage before you switch.
Example B — average Direct Debit home: You sit near Ofgem’s 2,500 / 9,500 kWh sketch. The £1,723 national figure is your starting benchmark for SVT. A fixed only wins if its labelled standing + unit rates undercut your expected next-12-months cost after any exit fee.
Example C — heat-pump / EV home: Electricity dominates. Watch the electricity standing charge and peak unit rate carefully; gas standing matters less if gas use is tiny. Compare electricity-only and dual-fuel products side by side.
Related SwitchSquid October guides
For exit-fee maths see exit fees energy switch October 2026. For timing, see when-to-switch October. For fixed-vs-SVT framing, use that October guide. This URL is the standing-charge pence twin for October switch-season intent — not a repeat of our broader standing-charges-vs-unit-rates explainer.
FAQ
What is the energy standing charge in October 2026?
Ofgem’s national Direct Debit averages for 1 October–31 December 2026 are 54.83p/day for electricity and 29.68p/day for gas. Your region and payment method can differ.
Is the Ofgem price cap £1,723?
Yes for the Oct–Dec 2026 dual-fuel Direct Debit typical bill published by Ofgem — not a personal guarantee of what you will pay.
Did electricity standing charges fall in October 2026?
On Ofgem’s national Direct Debit averages, yes — from 57.19p/day in July–September to 54.83p/day in October–December. Gas standing rose slightly over the same comparison.
Can a low standing charge still be a bad deal?
Yes. Suppliers can raise the unit rate to compensate. Always compare estimated annual cost for your kWh.
Do fixed tariffs use Ofgem standing charges?
No. The cap applies to default / SVT tariffs. Fixed deals set their own standing charges and unit rates — read the tariff label.
How do I compare standing charges properly?
Use the same postcode and usage on a comparison journey, open each tariff’s standing + unit rates, and add exit fees if you are leaving a fixed early.
Why does SwitchSquid send home energy clicks to MoneySuperMarket?
Residential Compare buttons use MoneySuperMarket’s tracked energy journey. Business quotes belong on our separate business-energy form.
What if I am on a prepayment meter?
Confirm the deal is available for PPM and compare PPM-specific standing and unit rates — do not assume Direct Debit averages apply.
