£1,723 Cap Ends 31 December: Take a Meter Reading Before the January 2027 Price Change

Last updated: Saturday 24 October 2026 (Europe/London).
Next update: when Ofgem announces the January to March 2027 price cap, due by 25 November 2026.
By: Switch Editorial Team, Switch Squid Ltd

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As of 24 October 2026, the energy price cap is £1,723 a year for a typical dual-fuel home paying by Direct Debit, and these rates run until 31 December 2026. If you are on a variable tariff without a working smart meter, take a gas and electricity meter reading on 31 December or 1 January and send it to your supplier, so the energy you used in December is billed at today’s capped rates rather than whatever the January cap brings. British Gas, for example, accepts readings from a few days before to 14 days after a price change. A reading costs nothing and takes five minutes, and if January prices rise it stops your supplier estimating December usage at the higher rate. This SwitchSquid guide explains who needs a reading, exactly when to take it and what to do if your bill still looks wrong. We may earn a commission if you buy through links on this page; it doesn’t change the price you pay.

Sources: Ofgem price cap rates, British Gas, EDF and Citizens Advice, all checked on 24 October 2026.

Why take a meter reading before the price cap changes?

Because the unit rates on variable tariffs change on the day the new cap starts. Ofgem’s capped prices can change on 1 January, 1 April, 1 July and 1 October. If your supplier doesn’t have a reading for the changeover, it has to estimate how much of your usage fell before and after that date. An estimate can put some of your December heating into January, and if January’s rates are higher, you pay more for energy you used at the old price.

Citizens Advice puts it simply: if you don’t send readings, your supplier will estimate your usage, and your bill might be too high or too low. A reading taken on the changeover date removes the guesswork. EDF calls the changeover “National Meter Read Day” for this reason, and says accurate readings mean the energy used before the change is billed at the current rate.

Ofgem is due to announce the January to March 2027 cap by 25 November 2026. Supplier forecasts published in October point to a rise, which you can read about in our January 2027 price cap forecast. Even if the cap ends up flat or lower, an accurate reading still means a fair bill.

Current price cap rates (1 October to 31 December 2026)

These are Ofgem’s average capped rates for people who pay by Direct Debit in England, Scotland and Wales. Your own rates depend on your region and how you pay.

Fuel	Unit rate	Daily standing charge	VAT	Runs until
Electricity	26.32p per kWh	54.83p	No VAT from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027	31 December 2026
Gas	7.97p per kWh	29.68p	5% included	31 December 2026
Typical yearly bill (dual fuel, Direct Debit)	£1,723		Included	31 December 2026

Source: Ofgem, checked on 24 October 2026. To put the unit rates in context, every 100kWh of gas you use costs £7.97 at the current cap, and every 100kWh of electricity costs £26.32. Those are the amounts at stake for each 100kWh an estimate shifts from December into January if the new rates are higher.

Who needs to take a meter reading?

You should take one if all of these apply:

• You are on a standard variable tariff, so your rates follow the price cap.

• You don’t have a smart meter, or your smart meter has stopped sending readings.

• You pay by Direct Debit or on receipt of a bill, rather than through a prepayment meter.

British Gas says you don’t need to send a reading if you are on a fixed tariff, if your smart meter sends readings automatically, or if you pay as you go through a prepayment meter. If you are not sure whether your smart meter is working, check the last bill: if it says “estimated” next to the reading, your supplier isn’t receiving data and you should send a manual reading.

When exactly should you take the reading?

The best time is the evening of 31 December or the morning of 1 January, as close to midnight as you reasonably can. Suppliers accept readings either side of the date, so you don’t need to stay up:

Supplier example	What it says	What to do
British Gas	Send reads a few days before, or up to 14 days after, a new price cap is set	Read on 31 December or 1 January and submit by mid-January
EDF	Submit on or around the change date; some people prefer the day before	Read on 31 December and submit in the app
Any supplier	Readings sent in the app or online are used for your next bill	Take a dated photo of each meter as proof

Take a photo of each meter on your phone. The photo is timestamped, so if your supplier queries the reading later you can show exactly when it was taken.

How to read your gas and electricity meters

1. Find both meters. They are often in a cupboard under the stairs, in an outside box or in a hallway cupboard in flats.

2. Electricity, single rate digital meter: write down the numbers from left to right, ignoring any digits after a decimal point or in red.

3. Electricity, two-rate meter (such as Economy 7): note both readings, usually labelled day and night or rate 1 and rate 2.

4. Gas, digital meter: note the numbers from left to right, ignoring anything after the decimal point or in red.

5. Dial meters: read each dial from left to right; if a pointer is between two numbers, use the lower one.

6. Submit in your supplier’s app or online account, or by phone.

Citizens Advice has worked examples for every meter type, and if you can’t get to your meter, your supplier may be able to help through its Priority Services Register. Our Priority Services Register guide explains who qualifies.

What if your bill still looks wrong?

Check that the reading on the bill matches the one you sent and the date you took it. If your supplier has used an estimate instead, send your dated photo and ask for the bill to be recalculated. Our guide to estimated bills after a price cap change walks through the common reasons a bill looks too high.

Ofgem’s back-billing rules also protect you. You don’t have to pay for energy used more than 12 months ago if you haven’t had an accurate bill for it before, haven’t been told what you owed in a statement, or your Direct Debit was set too low to cover it. The rules don’t apply if you have acted unreasonably, for example by blocking access to your meter.

Should you fix before January instead?

A meter reading makes sure December is billed fairly, but it won’t protect you from January’s rates. If you want certainty for the rest of winter, compare fixed tariffs now and look at the yearly cost at your own usage, not just the unit rate. If you switch, your new supplier will ask for an opening reading, so the same five-minute job serves both purposes. Our should I fix my energy deal guide covers the pros and cons, and our how to switch energy supplier guide explains the steps.

Who it suits

• Take a reading: you are on a variable tariff with no working smart meter.

• No reading needed: you have a fixed tariff, a working smart meter or a prepayment meter.

• Compare deals as well: you want to know whether a fixed tariff beats the January cap.

• Check your smart meter: if your bills still say “estimated”.

Have a question about your bill? Squid AI, SwitchSquid’s AI assistant, can help you understand your tariff and compare home energy deals.

Important conditions

• The price cap limits unit rates and standing charges, not your total bill.

• Rates shown are Ofgem’s Direct Debit averages; your region and payment method change your own rates.

• Each supplier sets its own window for accepting readings; check yours in your app or account.

• The January to March 2027 cap is due to be announced by 25 November 2026.

• Information checked on 24 October 2026.

FAQ

When should I take a meter reading for the January 2027 price cap?

Take it on the evening of 31 December 2026 or the morning of 1 January 2027 and send it to your supplier soon after. British Gas, for example, accepts readings from a few days before to 14 days after a price change.

Do I need to send a meter reading if I have a smart meter?

Not if it is working, because a smart meter sends readings to your supplier automatically. If your bills show “estimated” readings, your smart meter may have stopped communicating, so send a manual reading and ask your supplier to fix it.

Do I need a meter reading on a fixed tariff?

No. A fixed tariff keeps the same unit rates and standing charges until the deal ends, so the price cap change doesn’t affect what you pay. Sending regular readings still keeps your bills accurate.

What happens if I don’t send a meter reading?

Your supplier will estimate your usage. Citizens Advice warns that an estimated bill might be too high or too low, and if January prices rise, some of your December usage could be charged at the new rate.

How much is the price cap until 31 December 2026?

The cap is £1,723 a year for a typical dual-fuel home paying by Direct Debit from 1 October to 31 December 2026. The average capped rates are 26.32p per kWh for electricity with a 54.83p daily standing charge, and 7.97p per kWh for gas with a 29.68p standing charge.

When will the January 2027 price cap be announced?

Ofgem is due to announce the cap for January to March 2027 by 25 November 2026. The new rates then apply from 1 January 2027.

Can my supplier back-bill me for old estimated usage?

Only up to a point. Under Ofgem’s back-billing rules you don’t have to pay for energy used more than 12 months ago if you weren’t billed accurately for it before, unless you acted unreasonably, such as blocking access to your meter.

Our verdict

If you are on a variable tariff without a working smart meter, set a reminder for 31 December: photograph both meters, send the readings in your supplier’s app and keep the photos. It is free, it keeps December on the current £1,723 cap rates, and it stops an estimate costing you money if January prices rise. If you would rather lock in a price for the rest of winter, compare home energy deals now.