How did the energy crisis unfold?
1 April 2026 – The price cap level decreases to £1,641 for a typical dual fuel household, a reduction of 6.6% on the previous quarter. This means their bills are protected from the impacts of the US-Israel conflict with Iran by the price cap until July 2026.
1 April 2026 – Government created £50 million in support for householders reliant on heating oil/LPG. It is implemented through the local authority Crisis and Resilience Fund from 1 April.
28 February 2026 – The USA and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran. This led to oil prices rising rapidly.
1 January 2026 – The price cap level increases to £1,758 for a typical dual fuel household.
1 October 2025 – The price cap level increases to £1,755 for a typical dual fuel household.
1 July 2025 – The price cap level decreases to £1,720 for a typical dual fuel household.
1 April 2025 – The price cap level increases to £1,849 for a typical dual fuel household. Ofgem publishes latest energy debt figures, showing a slight increase to £3.85bn.
27 March 2025 – DESNZ publishes latest fuel poverty statistics for England. The statistics show that in 2024, the number of households who are required to spend more than 10% of their income (after housing costs) on domestic energy reached 36.3% (8.99 million), up from 35.5% in 2023 (8.73 million).
25 February 2025 – Price cap level for April confirmed to be increasing to £1,849 for a typical dual fuel household. The government also announces an expansion in eligibility for the Warm Home Discount, which would see almost 3 million more households qualify.
1 January 2025 – The price cap level increases to £1,738 for a typical dual fuel household.
22 November 2024 – The price cap level for January 2025 is announced. Annual energy bills will be £1,738 a year for a typical household, an increase of £21 (1%). This is expected to increase the number of UK households in fuel poverty to 6.1 million.
1 October 2024 – The price cap rises to £1,717 for a typical dual fuel household, pushing the number of UK households in fuel poverty up to 6 million.
29 July 2024 – The new Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, announces that the Winter Fuel Payment will no longer be universal. From winter 2024–25, only households receiving Pension Credit or certain other means-tested benefits will qualify.
4 July 2024 – The 2024 General Election sees Labour win a majority.
1 July 2024 – The price cap falls slightly to £1,568 for a typical dual fuel household, meaning that 5.6 million UK households are in fuel poverty.
1 April 2024 – The price cap lowers to £1,690 for a typical dual fuel household, leaving an estimated 6 million UK households in fuel poverty. Despite the drop, 2.3 million households are paying more than at the height of the crisis due to energy debt.
1 January 2024 – The price cap increases to £1,928 a year for a typical dual fuel household, alongside changes to Ofgem’s methodology reducing ‘typical household’ usage.
1 October 2023 – The price cap lowers slightly to £1,923 a year for a typical dual fuel household.
25 August 2023 – Ofgem announces the winter 2023 price cap of £1,923 for a typical dual fuel household from 1 October, with 6.3 million households expected to be in fuel poverty.
1 July 2023 – Energy Price Guarantee ends as the Ofgem Price Cap (£2,074 for a typical dual fuel household becomes lower. 6.6 million households are in fuel poverty. The prepayment meter premium ends.
30 June 2023 – Deadline for prepayment meter customers to have EBSS vouchers reissued.
25 May 2023 – Ofgem announces that from July the typical annual bill will be £2,074 for a typical dual fuel household, with 6.6 million households in fuel poverty.
23 April 2023 – Government expands support for households using alternative fuels with a £200 payment (Alternative Fuels Payment).
1 April 2023 – Energy Bills Support Scheme ends. Typical bills rise effectively from £2,100 to £2,500. 7.5 million households are in fuel poverty.
15 March 2023 – Budget confirms Energy Price Guarantee will remain at £2,500 for a typical dual fuel household from April, not rise to £3,000.
1 December 2022 – Fuel Poverty Awareness Day: projections suggest fuel poverty could rise to 8.4 million households from April 2023.
17 November 2022 – Fiscal Statement confirms Energy Price Guarantee until April 2024, rising to £3,000 for a typical dual fuel household from April 2023, with further cost-of-living payments planned.
16 November 2022 – Changes to Warm Home Discount announced, removing eligibility for 500,000 households.
25 October 2022 – Rishi Sunak becomes Prime Minister and Jeremy Hunt becomes Chancellor.
18 October 2022 – Government limits Energy Price Guarantee to six months (ending April 2023) following market turmoil.
1 October 2022 – Energy Price Guarantee begins at £2,500 for a typical dual fuel household annually. 6.7 million households are in fuel poverty. EBSS payments begin.
8 September 2022 – Energy Price Guarantee announced at £2,500 for a typical dual fuel household, initially planned to last until October 2024.
6 September 2022 – Liz Truss becomes Prime Minister; Kwasi Kwarteng becomes Chancellor.
26 August 2022 – Ofgem announces price cap rise to £3,549 for a typical dual fuel household from 1 October.
3 August 2022 – Ofgem announces price cap reviews will move from every six months to quarterly.
26 May 2022 – Cost of living support package announced, including £400 grant (EBSS), £650 payments for low-income households, £300 for pensioners, £150 for disabled people, and extension of the Household Support Fund.
1 April 2022 – Price cap rises 54% to £1,971 for a typical dual fuel household. 6.5 million households are in fuel poverty.
24 February 2022 – Russia invades Ukraine, worsening gas price increases.
3 February 2022 – £200 energy bill loan and £150 council tax rebate announced.