Energy Price Cap Rise Confirmed for Early 2026
British households face another financial squeeze as the energy regulator Ofgem has announced it will increase the price cap by 0.2% for the period between January and March 2026. This adjustment means the average dual-fuel household paying by Direct Debit could see their annual energy costs reach £1,758.
The Four-Minute Shower Solution
In response to these rising costs, major energy supplier Octopus Energy is promoting a remarkably simple yet effective strategy: the four-minute shower rule. While studies show many people spend up to ten minutes showering, reducing this to just four minutes could make a substantial difference to your energy consumption.
Octopus Energy's online guidance states: "Keeping your shower time to just 4 minutes could save a typical household £60 a year!" The company emphasises that its recommendations are backed by a team of scientists, engineers, and heat specialists, with feedback from over 250,000 customers confirming their usefulness.
This advice is supported by the Energy Saving Trust, which estimates slightly different but still significant savings. They suggest most households could save around £45 annually, rising to approximately £65 for homes in Northern Ireland. The Trust further highlights that this simple change could conserve an impressive 17,000 litres of water per year per household.
Beyond the Bathroom: Draught-Proofing Your Home
Another highly effective measure recommended by both Octopus Energy and the Energy Saving Trust is draught-proofing. Sealing gaps around windows, doors, and chimneys prevents valuable heat from escaping, meaning you won't need to turn up the thermostat as often.
Octopus Energy warns: "A continuous draught can quickly undo all the good work of your heating - essentially wasting energy." Identifying and plugging these gaps can help trap warmth inside, making your gas spend more efficient. While professional draught-proofing can cost several hundred pounds, homeowners can tackle it themselves using old fabric scraps, potentially saving £80 per year.
To accurately locate heat loss, thermal cameras are invaluable tools. They measure surface temperatures, displaying the warmest areas in red and the coldest in blue. Homeowners can often borrow these cameras free from local councils, or hire them for around £15 per day from services like The London Library of Things. Octopus Energy also ran a loan programme, temporarily paused until the new year, which has already helped nearly 5,000 customers identify how to save heat.
For those with flexible budgets, a professional thermal survey costs roughly £300 for smaller homes and £750 for larger properties. The consumer group Which? recommends using its Home Energy Planning Service to find the best options for individual household needs.
Tim Jarvis, Ofgem's Director General for Markets, commented on the upcoming changes: "While energy prices have fallen in real terms over the past two years, we know people may not be feeling it in their pockets... The price cap helps protect households from overpaying for energy. But it’s only a safety net and there are practical ways that customers can pay less for their energy." He also noted that prepayment remains the cheapest method, saving customers around £47 on average.
Further energy-saving advice is available directly from Octopus Energy and the Energy Saving Trust.
