UK households on standard energy tariffs started paying 13 percent more from Wednesday, when a new price cap set by the regulator Ofgem took effect. The rise lands as financial advisers urge households to run a mid-year check on their finances.
For a typical household paying by direct debit, the annual cap rose from £1,641 ($2,176) to £1,862 ($2,469), Ofgem said, an increase of £221 ($293) a year, or about £18 ($24) a month. Electricity prices rose by roughly 5 percent, while gas rose 24 percent, which Ofgem attributed to higher wholesale costs linked to the conflict in the Middle East. Prepayment customers face a comparable rise, with their typical bill increasing to £1,812 ($2,403).
