Households in parts of Britain face an increase of more than £100 in their annual energy costs under the new price cap taking effect on 1st October, with gas responsible for almost all of the rise.
Research by building warranty provider Buildsafe found that the change in electricity and gas costs ranges from £19.76 a year in Ceredigion to £101.96 in Elmbridge, leaving an £82.20 gap between the two ends of the ranking.
The study used local energy consumption figures to calculate what a year of the same usage would cost at the July–September and October–December rates. Electricity costs change relatively little in areas with the largest increases, as lower standing charges offset much of the rise in the unit rate, while gas costs increase much more. Five of the 10 areas with the largest overall increases will pay slightly less for electricity but more overall.
Highest ranking areas for annual energy cost increases
| Rank | Local authority | Region | Annual cost at July–September rates | Annual cost at October–December rates | Annual increase | Electricity change | Gas change |
| 1 | Elmbridge | South East | £2,669.49 | £2,771.44 | £101.96 | +£1.30 | +£100.66 |
| 2 | Surrey Heath | South East | £2,510.04 | £2,606.05 | £96.01 | +£0.46 | +£95.55 |
| 3 | Harrow | London | £2,350.05 | £2,444.24 | £94.19 | −£0.75 | +£94.94 |
| 4 | Waverley | South East | £2,583.36 | £2,677.40 | £94.04 | +£1.34 | +£92.69 |
| 5 | Oadby and Wigston | East Midlands | £2,322.18 | £2,415.84 | £93.66 | −£0.97 | +£94.63 |
| 6 | East Dunbartonshire | Scotland | £2,206.87 | £2,298.39 | £91.52 | −£1.76 | +£93.27 |
| 7 | East Renfrewshire | Scotland | £2,244.68 | £2,336.18 | £91.49 | −£1.39 | +£92.88 |
| 8 | Brentwood | East of England | £2,467.21 | £2,558.23 | £91.03 | +£0.60 | +£90.43 |
| 9 | St Albans | East of England | £2,375.34 | £2,465.76 | £90.42 | −£0.14 | +£90.56 |
| 10 | Hertsmere | East of England | £2,404.51 | £2,494.63 | £90.12 | +£0.14 | +£89.97 |
Smallest energy price increases across Britain
| Rank | Local authority | Region | Annual cost at July–September rates | Annual cost at October–December rates | Annual increase | Electricity change | Gas change |
| 1 | Ceredigion | Wales | £1,620.15 | £1,639.92 | £19.76 | +£0.81 | +£18.95 |
| 2 | Tower Hamlets | London | £1,366.54 | £1,393.45 | £26.91 | −£2.32 | +£29.23 |
| 3 | Torridge | South West | £1,647.10 | £1,678.36 | £31.26 | −£0.30 | +£31.55 |
| 4 | Powys | Wales | £1,639.05 | £1,671.15 | £32.10 | −£0.41 | +£32.51 |
| 5 | Mid Suffolk | East of England | £1,774.45 | £1,807.75 | £33.30 | +£0.64 | +£32.67 |
| 6 | Cornwall | South West | £1,794.82 | £1,828.23 | £33.41 | +£0.77 | +£32.64 |
| 7 | Highland | Scotland | £2,002.26 | £2,037.04 | £34.78 | +£2.58 | +£32.19 |
| 8 | Mid Devon | South West | £1,710.74 | £1,747.03 | £36.29 | −£0.29 | +£36.58 |
| 9 | Gwynedd | Wales | £1,786.87 | £1,825.56 | £38.70 | +£0.15 | +£38.54 |
| 10 | Breckland | East of England | £1,757.61 | £1,796.39 | £38.78 | −£0.12 | +£38.89 |
Heating advice for rising energy costs
Commenting on the findings, Giles Fallan, CEO at Buildsafe, said: “A rise in gas prices during summer can be less noticeable when the heating is off. From October, households will be paying the higher rate just as they start using more of it.”
“The electricity figures might look reassuring on their own. Some areas even get a small saving. But if gas is heating the home and providing the hot water, that is where most of the extra cost will come from.”
“For someone who has already cut back, being told to use less again is not much help. The next question is whether the home is making it harder than it should be to stay warm. If a room loses its heat quickly, or never gets warm in the first place, find out why before spending money trying to fix it.”
“Start with the things you can check, such as draughts and heating controls. For insulation or bigger work, get advice based on the property itself. A house that holds its heat better needs less heating, and that continues to matter whichever way the next price cap moves.”