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Tim_OVO
OVO Staff
OVO Forum Legend
August 5, 2022
Blog

What’s happening with energy prices? Let’s take a look.

  • August 5, 2022
  • 30 replies
  • 3342 views
What’s happening with energy prices? Let’s take a look.

Updated on 17/06/25 by Emmanuelle_OVO:

Need any extra support with your energy bills? These topics offer some helpful advice:
 

 

 

Ofgem’s energy price cap limits what you pay for gas or electricity on a variable rate plan. You can see the latest information regarding the price cap levels and date changes on the Ofgem site here.

 

The way energy suppliers set prices is impacted by:

 

The price cap – set by Ofgem, the energy regulator. This limits the amount customers on variable rate plans will pay for each unit of gas and electricity and sets a maximum standing charge.

 

The Energy Price Guarantee – provided by the government to help households with energy costs during the energy crisis. It’s a discount on gas and electricity prices and is in addition to the price cap. It applies to both variable and fixed rate plans. If the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) is above the level of the price cap, it won’t impact prices for anyone who pays monthly. 

 

What this means if you pay monthly for your energy

 

If you're on a variable rate plan, your unit rate and standing charge will change on 1st January, April, July and October, in line with the new price cap. We’ll write to you to let you know if this impacts you personally. Your actual bills will still depend on how much energy your home uses.

 

If you're on a fixed rate plan, the price cap doesn't affect prices for fixed-rate plans. We're keeping your prices as they are for the length of your contract to protect you from any price increases.

 

What this means if you Pay As You Go for your energy

 

All Pay As You Go prices are variable – these will change with the new price cap on 1st January, April, July and October.

 

Now's the time to send a meter reading

 

This will make sure your energy account is up to date. You can submit a meter reading now on your online account or through our app. If you’ve got a smart meter, you don’t need to send a reading. The smart meter will send this for you.

 

Priority Services Register

 

Need extra support? We can offer free help if you’re ill, have a disability or have a medical condition via our Priority Services Register.

 

Support available for customers who may be struggling with their bills

 

Here’s how you can apply for our Customer support package

Here’s our guide on debt and energy assistance.

 

Citizens Advice: Visit your local branch, or their websites: for England and Wales and for Scotland. You can speak to an adviser online, in person, or over the phone: 0800 144 8848 (England), 0800 702 2020 (Wales), and 0800 028 1456 (Scotland). 

 

National Debtline: Call 0808 808 4000 or visit their website.

 

Step Change Debt Charity: Call 0800 138 1111 or visit their website.

 

Have any questions about the price cap? See our Price Cap FAQs here.

 

30 replies

Newcomer
August 12, 2022

Thanks for the advice guys.

Newcomer
August 26, 2022

So the OVO website says OVO sources its electricity supplies solely from renewables

 

Where does our electricity come from?

It's really simple. Just 1 source: renewables.

 

Perhaps someone can explain then why OVO are increasing the price of a unit when renewable costs have not increased.

Tim_OVO
OVO Staff
Tim_OVOAuthor
OVO Forum Legend
August 26, 2022

Hi @Finnz, it’s a reasonable question to ask.

 

The short answer (which I’m only just about qualified to feel confidant in saying I know about) is that renewable energy is sold on wholesale markets, just like fossil fuels. Below you can see the price increases for these:

 

 

Just how much have wholesale prices risen?

 

This chart shows the rate at which prices have increased. 

 

Information correct as of July 2022
Source: ofgem.gov.uk/wholesale-market-indicators

 

 

Carbon neutral - we need a community to get there! My green tech: Aclara SGM 1411-B smart meter, Chameleon IHD6
Rank 1
August 26, 2022

I cannot find the actual price per unit and standing charge data for the price cap on the Ofgem website.

It is quoted instead as Other Payment Method (think this is direct debit), value of zero kwh for a year (think this is the standard charge) and price for 3100 kwh (includes standing charge)

Working this in a spreadsheet, I get for direct debit payment, single electric tariff, the following rates (including VAT)

Electricity

Region

Standing Charge (p) per day

kwh (p)

North West

43.26

51.32433871

Northern

49.93109589

50.08804839

Yorkshire

49.54561644

50.87724194

Northern Scotland

51.07315068

50.91653226

Southern

44.41356164

52.07424194

Southern Scotland

50.66465753

51.61122581

N Wales and Mersey

48.59630137

53.83112903

London

33.1569863

53.64551613

South East

42.67890411

53.16251613

Eastern

38.93630137

52.90509677

East Midlands

45.76849315

50.86640323

Midlands

49.14575342

51.57498387

Southern Western

52.64383562

51.70809677

South Wales

49.16876712

51.82122581

 

I have calculated by dividing the standing charge by 365 for the daily standing charge

From the value for 3100kwh (which includes the standing charge) I have deducted the standing charge and then divided by 3100 to get the price per kwh.

I then applied VAT to get the table above.  Has anyone in OVO been given or has calculated the unit rates?  Not sure that any of this is correct!

 

Jeffus
Rank 20
Rank 20
August 26, 2022

@Russell

The unit rate and standing charge for each region and payment type is on the following page

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/what-are-the-price-cap-unit-rates-/

Rank 1
August 28, 2022

@Jeffus 

Thanks for the link

Newcomer
September 3, 2022

Unless you are very interested in energy pricing this can be very confusing and worrying. But the past is gone and finished and at the moment the price cap rates will rise circa 80% in October followed by another increase in January. Fixed prices factor in these increases which is why compared to the current price capped rates they look expensive. In reality they may turn out to be cheap- they certainly offer certainty for their duration. The government will be forced to give even greater financial help focussed mainly on those really struggling.

I strongly recommend that people paying via Direct Debit continue to do so. Paying by standard credit methods will cost the average customer £200+ per year based on the October price caps, so will only make the situation even worse.

Eon and EDF customer. Don't think smart meters are worth the expense.
Newcomer
September 3, 2022

By the link provided higher up it seems that OVO IS OVER ESTIMATING MY GAS by about 3000 khw

Jequinlan
Rank 10
Rank 10
September 16, 2022

I hope mine doesn't go up too much.

 

Loving my vehicle to grid tarrif.…

Last months dual fuel bill.....

@Tim_OVO , @Blastoise186 ,i know it's not 0 but it's lowest I have managed to date.... my DD is still 400/month!

John Quinlan
Blastoise186
Super User
Super User
September 16, 2022

XD

 

Securing energy by zapping security bugs... For that is The Blastoise Way! Remember, I'm just like you - AI Powered Evil Geniuses aren't Staff!