Bill rank is not population rank
According to Ofgem's October – December 2026 cap, East Midlands is cheapest at £1,805 (#1 of 14 on typical dual-fuel) while London is largest (#1 of 14 on population) at £1,845 (bill rank #4). Merseyside & North Wales is dearest at £1,950 on 1.6m people (population #13).
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Highest typical dual-fuel bills by region
Eight of 14 distribution regions for October – December 2026. Merseyside & North Wales leads at £1,950.
Fourteen distribution networks, one national story
Great Britain is split into 14 electricity distribution network regions. Ofgem sets the default-tariff cap separately for each region so network costs land on the customers those networks serve. That is why a London flat and a Highlands home with identical usage still see different SVT ceilings.
What the gap is made of
Dispersed, sparsely populated networks cost more per customer to maintain than dense urban ones. Those network charges feed the regional standing charges and unit rates inside the cap. Wholesale energy is national; the regional premium is mostly wires and recovery of network allowances under RIIO price controls.
How to read the ranking
Treat the regional table as a relative map of the default-tariff cap, not a personal quote. A national headline that ignores DNO region will mis-rank the same usage against the published regional ceilings.
Fixed deals and region
Fixed-rate deals can compress or widen the regional gap depending on how suppliers price risk. The SVT cap remains the regulated ceiling for standard variable tariffs; fixed deals sit outside that ceiling by design.
Where the boards live
The £145 cheapest-to-dearest spread is the bill board. Population rank is a separate board: London is largest, East Midlands is cheapest.
- Open the full cheapest to dearest ranking Rankings →
- Inspect the dearest regions in detail Most expensive →
- Read how the national cap itself is set Cap guide →
Regional bills are typical dual-fuel SVT ceilings, not fixed deals, prepayment quotes, or your exact meter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which UK region has the cheapest energy bills?
East Midlands has the cheapest typical dual-fuel bill under Ofgem's October – December 2026 default-tariff cap, at £1,805 a year for a typical household on standard variable tariff.
Which UK region has the most expensive energy bills?
Merseyside & North Wales has the highest typical dual-fuel bill for October – December 2026, at £1,950 a year, £145 more than the cheapest region (East Midlands) for identical usage.
Why do energy bills vary by region in the UK?
Ofgem sets the default-tariff cap separately for each of the 14 electricity distribution network regions. Wholesale energy costs are national, but network charges, the cost of maintaining the wires and infrastructure that deliver electricity, are regional. Sparsely populated networks cost more to run per customer than dense urban ones, which is why remote regions typically see higher standing charges and unit rates.
Does London pay the most because it has the largest population?
No. London is the largest region by population (#1 of 14) but ranks #4 of 14 on typical bill, not the highest. Population size and bill rank are separate boards: the regional cap reflects network cost structure, not how many customers a region serves.
Do fixed-rate energy deals avoid these regional price differences?
Fixed-rate deals can compress or widen the regional gap depending on how each supplier prices risk in that area, since the default-tariff cap only sets a ceiling for standard variable tariffs. A fixed deal sits outside that ceiling by design, so it is priced independently rather than tracking the regional cap directly.
Data sources
Every figure on PlainEnergyBills is rendered directly from Ofgem source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Regional bills and the cheapest→dearest gap come from live region rows, never a hand-typed London/Scotland figure. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of October – December 2026.