economy

Martin Lewis issues urgent alert to UK households over energy bill increase

Martin Lewis has issued a stark warning to households following Ofgem's announcement that energy bills are set to rise once again in October.

Martin Lewis issues urgent alert to UK households over energy bill increase

TL;DR

  • Ofgem's energy price cap will increase by 3.6% from October 1.
  • Gas unit rates are set to surge by 8.7%, while electricity unit rates will rise by under 1%.
  • Households on standard variable tariffs will be directly affected by the price cap increase.
  • Fixed-rate tariffs are unaffected by the price cap, and some may see costs drop due to VAT changes.
  • Martin Lewis recommends switching to a fixed-rate deal, as the cheapest available is currently about 10% cheaper than the October price cap.
  • Forecasts suggest a further 10% increase in the price cap in January, though this is uncertain.