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What is the energy unit rate?

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In short: The price per kilowatt-hour (kWh) of gas or electricity you use — multiplied by usage and added to the daily standing charge to make your bill. Ofgem caps unit rates on default tariffs each quarter.

Last reviewed:

Reviewed by Kaiser Khan

From July 2026 typical capped unit rates are roughly 25p/kWh electricity and 6p/kWh gas — varies by region and payment method.

Low users pay more per kWh effectively because standing charges dominate. High users benefit from comparing unit rate more than standing charge.

Use our energy tariff comparator and standing charge vs unit rate answer.

Primary source: ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-households/energy-price-cap

Part of our Bills & utilities

This quick answer sits inside our wider bills & utilities hub — with sub-guides, calculators and step-by-step explainers on the same topic.

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