- Ofgem: “You can use a prepayment meter to pay for electricity or gas in advance rather than after you have used it.”4
- Prepayment and Direct Debit customers pay the same standing charge: the cap includes “making sure prepayment and Direct Debit customers pay the same standing charge (levelisation allowance)”.2
- Ofgem describes “prepayment customers paying the lowest price cap rates”.3
- Last checked: 28 October 2026.
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Prepayment rates by region, 1 October to 31 December 2026
“Prices include VAT on gas only and are rounded to two decimal places.”1
| Region | Electricity per kWh | Electricity per day | Gas per kWh | Gas per day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern England | 25.80p | 51.84p | 7.68p | 29.34p |
| East Midlands | 24.58p | 51.45p | 7.54p | 29.41p |
| London | 25.78p | 42.92p | 7.90p | 30.20p |
| Merseyside and Northern Wales | 27.01p | 67.66p | 7.62p | 30.08p |
| West Midlands | 24.82p | 57.23p | 7.64p | 29.71p |
| North Eastern England | 24.68p | 61.58p | 7.66p | 29.79p |
| North Western England | 25.68p | 45.68p | 7.58p | 29.81p |
| Southern England | 25.66p | 47.81p | 7.94p | 29.16p |
| South Eastern England | 26.06p | 52.32p | 7.78p | 29.26p |
| Southern Wales | 25.74p | 55.41p | 7.80p | 29.96p |
| South Western England | 25.77p | 55.58p | 7.89p | 29.31p |
| Yorkshire | 24.82p | 61.67p | 7.61p | 29.77p |
| Southern Scotland | 25.31p | 61.41p | 7.57p | 29.89p |
| Northern Scotland | 25.54p | 55.14p | 7.57p | 29.87p |
If you cannot top up
Ofgem: “They must offer to help you, for example by giving you extra credit if you’re in a vulnerable situation or while you work out ways to pay.”4
“You will need to pay back any credit you get when you next top up. Your supplier must work with you to agree on a payment plan you can afford.”4
Citizens Advice says you can usually get emergency credit. “Friendly hours credit lets you keep using electricity at night, at weekends or on bank holidays.” With a smart meter you get friendly hours credit automatically.5
“If your meter cannot be moved, your supplier must replace it with a different type of meter.”4
VAT
HMRC: “The temporary zero rate applies from 1 October 2026 to 30 June 2027.” The Budget on 28 October 2026 extended it from 31 March (announced; the legislation is due in early 2027). Gas stays at 5% VAT.6