According to the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets default tariff cap history, the typical dual-fuel direct-debit ceiling peaked at 4,279 pounds a year in the crisis period, and the July 2026 schedule still prices medium TDCV usage in four-figure pounds, see our methodology.
The verdict
Post-crisis switching is useful again: the SVT ceiling sits £2,417 below the series peak, so a fixed deal only wins if it beats £1,862 in your region after exit fees.
Last updated: · PlainEnergyBills
Customer-base figures are the supplier directory's published counts, not a ranking of tariff price or service quality.
What changed after 2022
During the wholesale spike, fixed deals were scarce and often above the cap. As the SVT ceiling eased from its peak, fixed deals returned, but only a deal that undercuts the live regional SVT ceiling after exit fees is worth the lock-in.
How to evaluate a switch
Compare (1) your region's SVT ceiling, (2) the fixed unit rate and standing charge, (3) exit fees, and (4) payment method. Ignore national "average saving" headlines that omit region and standing charge.
What we do not do
PlainEnergyBills is not a comparison site and does not take supplier commissions. Use a CMA-accredited comparison service to execute a switch; use this site to understand the regulated ceiling you are shopping against.
What to do with this
A switch only earns its keep if the fixed deal beats £1,862 in your region after fees.
- Check your region against the live ranking Rankings →
- Split unit vs standing before comparing quotes Bill-split guide →
- Read how the SVT ceiling is set Cap guide →
We explain the regulated market; we do not broker switches or rank suppliers by price.
Related guides
Every figure on PlainEnergyBills is rendered directly from Ofgem source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Peak-to-current drop and supplier bars are live from cap_period + supplier tables. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.