Energy Price Cap Rising from July 2026: What It Means for Your Home

From 1 July 2026, the Ofgem energy price cap is rising again.

For a typical household paying by Direct Debit, Ofgem has confirmed that the energy price cap will be £1,862 per year from 1 July to 30 September 2026. This is up from £1,641 in the previous cap period.

That is a rise of around 13%.

It is important to be clear about what this does and does not mean. The price cap is not a cap on your total bill. It limits the amount suppliers can charge for each unit of energy and the daily standing charge. The more energy you use, the more you still pay.

For households already thinking about solar panels, battery storage, smart tariffs, EV charging or heat pumps, this latest rise is another reminder that energy planning is becoming more important, not less.

What is changing?

From 1 July to 30 September 2026, Ofgem’s average Direct Debit price cap figures are:

• Electricity unit rate: 26.11p per kWh

• Electricity standing charge: 57.19p per day

• Gas unit rate: 7.33p per kWh

• Gas standing charge: 29.04p per day

These are average figures. Your actual rates can vary depending on your region, meter type, payment method and tariff.

The key point is simple: grid energy is becoming more expensive again, and households that rely heavily on imported electricity and gas are more exposed to these changes.

Why does this matter if you already have solar panels?

Solar panels help reduce the amount of electricity you need to buy from the grid during the day. However, most homes still import electricity at certain times, especially:

• In the evening

• Overnight

• During winter

• During poor weather

• When running high-demand appliances

• When charging an EV

• When the household uses more power than the solar system is producing

That is why battery storage is becoming increasingly important.

A battery allows you to store excess solar energy during the day and use it later, instead of sending it all back to the grid. In some cases, batteries can also be charged from cheaper overnight tariffs, then discharged during the more expensive parts of the day.

This does not remove energy bills completely, and the right solution depends on the property, system size, usage pattern and tariff. But it can reduce reliance on expensive grid electricity.

Why battery storage is no longer just an add-on

A few years ago, many customers saw battery storage as an optional extra.

That has changed.

With energy prices moving again, more people are looking at battery storage as part of the main system design. It can help customers:

• Use more of their own solar generation

• Reduce peak-time grid imports

• Make better use of smart tariffs

• Store cheaper overnight electricity

• Support EV charging

• Improve energy resilience

• Prepare for future energy changes

For existing solar customers, a retrofit battery may also be worth reviewing, especially if a lot of generated electricity is being exported during the day and bought back later at a higher rate.

What about smart tariffs?

Smart tariffs can be very useful, but they need to match the customer’s system and lifestyle.

Some tariffs offer cheaper electricity overnight. Others may offer export payments, flexible pricing or specific EV charging windows.

The right tariff can make a big difference when paired with solar and battery storage. The wrong tariff can mean a customer is not getting the best from their system.

This is particularly relevant for customers with systems such as Sigenergy, where settings, charging behaviour, AI modes and battery capacity can all affect how well the system performs financially.

What should existing solar and battery customers check?

If you already have solar or battery storage, it is worth reviewing:

• Your current import rate

• Your export rate

• Whether you are on the right tariff

• How much solar energy you are exporting

• How much electricity you still import from the grid

• Whether your battery is charging and discharging at the right times

• Whether your system settings match your tariff

• Whether additional battery storage would help

• Whether an EV charger, heat pump or air conditioning system could change your energy demand

This does not always mean buying more equipment. Sometimes, the first step is simply understanding whether the system is being used properly.

What if you do not have solar yet?

If you are considering solar panels, the July price cap rise makes the conversation more urgent, but it should still be approached properly.

A good solar and battery design should look at:

• Your annual electricity usage

• Roof space and orientation

• Shading

• Daytime and evening usage

• Whether you have or are planning an EV

• Whether you may add a heat pump

• Whether battery storage is suitable

• Current and future tariff options

• Export payments

• DNO requirements

• Budget and expected payback

The best system is not always the biggest system. It is the one designed around how the property actually uses energy.

Businesses should also take note

The domestic energy price cap does not protect business energy contracts.

That means businesses need to be even more proactive when reviewing energy costs, contracts, solar options, battery storage and site demand.

For commercial sites, the opportunity is often not just about reducing bills. It can also be about improving resilience, reducing peak demand, supporting EV charging, making better use of roof space and planning for long-term energy growth.

M+S Renewables works with both homes and businesses, so we can support everything from domestic solar and battery systems through to larger commercial energy projects.

Where M+S Renewables can help

At M+S Renewables, we support customers with:

• Solar PV

• Battery storage

• Sigen system reviews and upgrades

• EV charging

• Air source heat pumps

• Air conditioning

• Commercial solar and battery systems

• Off-grid energy solutions

• Inverter swaps

• System monitoring and maintenance

• Energy advice and tariff discussions

Many of our older customers know us mainly for solar and battery storage. That is still a major part of what we do, but the business now supports a much wider range of energy solutions.

The July energy price cap rise is a good opportunity to review your current setup and make sure your home or business is prepared for the next stage of energy costs.

Want us to review your options?

If you are unsure whether your current system, tariff or energy setup is working as well as it could, we can help.

You can speak to M+S Renewables about:

• Adding battery storage to an existing solar system

• Reviewing a Sigen system

• Checking whether your tariff suits your setup

• Installing solar panels

• Adding EV charging

• Exploring air source heat pumps

• Looking at air conditioning

• Reviewing commercial energy options

Energy prices may be changing again, but there are still practical ways to take more control.

Speak to M+S Renewables for straightforward advice based on your property, usage and future plans.

References and useful sources

Ofgem: Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/information-consumers/energy-advice-