How the energy price cap changes your bill by region

Most people think of the energy price cap as a single national figure. It isn't. The cap is set per region, so two households using exactly the same gas and electricity can pay different amounts purely because of where they live. It's not a huge swing, but it's real, and it feeds straight into the monthly total we show for every area.

Why energy varies by region

The cap is built from unit rates and standing charges that differ across the country's distribution regions, because the cost of getting energy to your meter isn't the same everywhere. Our figures use live per-region rates that track the cap, multiplied by a typical household's consumption (Ofgem's TDCV), so the energy line on each area reflects its region rather than a flat national average.

How much does it actually move your bill?

Less than rent or council tax, but enough to notice over a year. Between the cheapest and priciest regions you're typically looking at a few pounds a month on standing charges and unit rates combined. It won't decide where you live, but it's a genuine line in the total, so we include it rather than pretend energy is identical everywhere.

You can see the region we've used, and the resulting monthly energy figure, on any area page:

Open it and look at the energy line in the breakdown, it names the region the rate is drawn from.

What this means when you're comparing places

• Two areas with similar rent can still differ slightly on energy if they're in different regions.
• Your actual bill depends far more on your home's efficiency and your usage than on the regional cap, so treat the figure as a typical-household baseline.
• Switching tariff can beat the cap, but our baseline tracks the cap so the comparison between areas stays fair.

See it across areas

• Compare two areas and watch the energy line move with the region.
• Find areas within your monthly budget.