Britons face highest price cap in three years as energy bills rise 4% from October

The roughly a third of households that buy energy via fixed-rate deals will not be affected by the rise in the price cap. Photograph: Andrzej Rostek/Getty

Millions of British households will face the highest energy charges in three years this winter after months of rising market prices pushed up the government’s price cap for the second time in three months.

Gas and electricity prices will rise by 4% from October under the new cap, after climbing 13% at the start of July to take account of global energy market price rises caused by the war on Iran.