The jump will equate to a rise of £18 a month for the average household using both electricity and gas.

The typical household is now facing an annual energy cost of £1,862, up £221 on current levels, with early forecasts that this will rise further still in October.

How to get a better deal for gas and electricity

Martin Lewis has long suggested households should check the market and look for better deals – often in the form of a fixed tariff.

He says get off the Energy Price Cap – or the ‘pants cap’, as he calls it. The Money Saving Expert founder added that the cheapest fix depends on where you live and how much you use, so urged billpayers to do a comparison.

It’s predicted next week Ofgem will announce the July energy Price Cap will rise c13%. So people are asking what happened to the promised £150 off bills…

Just a snip from the Martin Lewis Podcast beat energy bill hikes episode now on https://t.co/9zQOoDXsZw, Apple, Spotify &… pic.twitter.com/rf1Jmc4CrL

— Martin Lewis (@MartinSLewis) May 22, 2026

He says to choose the best-fixed deal, customers should use a comparison site that takes in the whole market by default rather than cutting out some suppliers who do not pay to be listed. 

He recommended his own  Cheap Energy Club , as it compares all energy deals, rather than just the sponsored options.

“And remember that when you do a comparison, remember that the savings you’re given on the cheapest fix are compared to the current price cap,” he says.

How do I start the switching process?

As a rule of thumb, Which? recommends looking for deals – start with a price comparison website – that are cheaper than the price cap (this is where comparing gas and electricity unit rates is important, rather than looking at headline figures), not longer than 12 months and without significant exit fees.

Price comparison site Uswitch said households can currently lock in a rate that undercuts the July cap by around £250 for the average home, warning: “For anyone still on a standard tariff, your bill will go up unless you act.”

What else can I do to cut my bills?

There are other ways to potentially save on your energy bills, including checking if your energy supplier offers free electricity, such as British Gas’s PeakSave or E.on’s Pledge tariff. This could help to reduce your bill without cutting back on usage.

Households should also check and adjust their boiler flow settings: If you have a combi boiler, reducing the flow temperature to 60C or below could lower your bills.

Using an air fryer instead of an oven will cut energy usage, as will turning down the thermostat, running the washing machine in off-peak hours and taking appliances off standby.

It is also important to avoid estimated bills. If you don’t have a smart meter, send regular meter readings to your supplier to ensure direct debits are set at the right amount.

What is the energy price cap?

The term is quite confusing and it’s important to note it’s not the maximum price you will pay – it’s an average. If you use more, you will pay more.

Recommended reading:

The cap was introduced on January 1 2019 by regulator Ofgem, with the aim of preventing the millions of households on expensive variable tariffs from being ripped off.

But it only limits what you pay for each unit of gas and electricity that you use .

It’s based roughly on wholesale energy prices (those that firms pay) and applies only to providers’ standard and default tariffs, which the vast majority of households are now on.

Candice Noonan, who works at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, has been shortlisted for the Patients’ Choice Award as part of the Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) Staff Recognition Awards 2026.

The Patients’ Choice Award celebrates staff nominated directly by patients or families and recognises care that goes above and beyond clinical duties, leaving a lasting impact.

Ms Noonan was nominated by a mother she supported following the stillbirth of her baby, who described her as a vital source of comfort in the days, weeks, and months that followed.

The nomination read: “There are no words to describe Candice – she is nothing short of incredible.

“I literally would not have coped without the bereavement midwife team and Candice stands out as someone who went above and beyond.”

The patient said Ms Noonan’s support continued long after she left hospital.

She said: “Candice was my go-to person to call when I felt like I couldn’t cope.

“She constantly validated me as a mother and always said the right thing.”

Although the patient never met Ms Noonan in person, she said her support was deeply reassuring.

She said: “What is extraordinary is that I have never actually met Candice as she wasn’t working the day [baby] was born.

“A phone call with Candice feels like I am being wrapped up in a hug and being given the tiniest bit of hope that I will get through this.”

Ms Noonan said: “To be shortlisted for the Patients’ Choice Award, for simply doing what I love, feels incredibly special and I am so grateful.

“It is such an honour to be a small part of each person’s journey.

“For this nomination to come from somebody in the depths of grief really does move me deeply.

“I want to say a heartfelt thank you for taking the time to nominate me.”

Milica Redfearn, director of midwifery at OUH, said: “Candice is truly exceptional and we are incredibly proud to see her recognised with this award.

“Her compassion, kindness and commitment make an immeasurable difference to families experiencing loss, often at the most devastating moments of their lives.

“This recognition is so well deserved and reflects the huge impact of her work and the difference she makes every day.”

More than 1,900 nominations were received for this year’s OUH Staff Recognition Awards.

The awards will take place at the John Radcliffe Hospital on Thursday, June 18.

Multiple customers said they left the Aldi in Broadway, Didcot, without any chilled food today (Tuesday, May 26) due to broken cooling systems in the shop.

It comes as temperatures are due to reach 32 degrees Celsius in the hottest part of the day, in an unprecedented May heatwave which is breaking records in Oxfordshire.

READ MORE: Oxfordshire breaks temperature records after 82 years

Several other supermarkets in the county are showing empty shelves, as products are returned to the warehouse to prevent spoiling them while fridges and freezers are out of action.

One such store is the Waitrose in Bell Street, Henley, where cooled shelves have been cleared and a notice put up in the place of products like dairy and meat.

Some shelves are empty in the Waitrose store in Henley due to issues with the supermarket’s cooling system (Image: Newsquest)

The notice said: “Due to the extreme temperatures and a breakdown of our main refrigeration units we have, unfortunately, had to send our chilled and frozen products back to our warehouse to prevent the stock being destroyed.

“We apologise for the inconvenience and hope to get this stock back as soon as possible.”

READ MORE: Witney – arrest made after major 999 Corn Street presence

Waitrose confirmed the Henley store is the only one of its branches in Oxfordshire affected by cooling system issues today.

A spokesperson for Waitrose Henley said: “We’re really sorry for the inconvenience, and are working hard to get our chillers back up and running as soon as possible. 

“We’re incredibly grateful for customers’ understanding, and likewise to our partners who worked quickly to make sure that all chilled stock was returned to our distribution centre – to prevent food waste.

“Our shop remains open for non-chilled items, and our nearby branches in Twyford and Wallingford are also welcoming customers.”

READ MORE: Train evacuated in Oxfordshire due to ’45C’ heatwave

There are also reports of broken cooling systems at the Sainsbury’s in Didcot, though this has not been confirmed.

It is not known how many supermarkets are affected by system issues, but reports from other parts of the country show the heatwave is having an impact across the south east.

Sainsbury’s and Aldi have both been approached for more information one which stores are affected and for further comment..