The average wholesale electricity price in July 2025 in the United Kingdom is forecast to amount to****** British pounds per megawatt-hour, a decrease from the previous month. A record high was reached in August 2022 when day-ahead baseload contracts averaged ***** British pounds per megawatt-hour.
Electricity price stabilization in Europe Electricity prices increased in 2024 compared to the previous year, when prices stabilized after the energy supply shortage. Price spikes were driven by the growing wholesale prices of natural gas and coal worldwide, which are among the main sources of power in the region.

… and in the United Kingdom? The United Kingdom was one of the countries with the highest electricity prices worldwide during the energy crisis. Since then, prices have been stabilizing, almost to pre-energy crisis levels. The use of nuclear, wind, and bioenergy for electricity generation has been increasing recently. The fuel types are an alternative to fossil fuels and are part of the country's power generation plans going into the future.

In 2024, natural gas prices for UK businesses with an annual consumption greater than 27,778 megawatt hours stood at 4.49 pence per kilowatt-hour, while for industries with lower annual consumption, prices were 5.64 pence per kilowatt-hour.

UK Electricity decreased 27.05 GBP/MWh or 26.40% since the beginning of 2025, according to the latest spot benchmarks offered by sellers to buyers priced in megawatt hour (MWh). This dataset includes a chart with historical data for the United Kingdom Electricity Price.

UK Gas fell to 84.57 GBp/thm on July 14, 2025, down 0.83% from the previous day. Over the past month, UK Gas's price has fallen 4.85%, but it is still 15.90% higher than a year ago, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. UK Natural Gas - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on July of 2025.

A survey conducted by the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) in 2023 found that some 91 percent of UK residents were concerned about energy price hikes. Between 2012 and 2023, the level of concern increased. For instance, in 2012, 34 percent of the respondents were not very concerned or not concerned at all about steep rises in energy price in the future.

The average annual domestic electricity bill in the United Kingdom saw an overall increase from 2014 to 2024 and boomed in 2023. In this period, households with an annual consumption of ***** kilowatt-hours saw bills rise from *** to ***** British pounds, including value-added tax. The household expenditure on electricity in the UK amounted to approximately **** billion current British pounds in 2023. Direct debit payments consistently cheaper In the period under consideration, the annual bill for an electricity consumption of ***** kilowatt-hours was consistently more expensive for consumers using standard credit as a method of payment, averaging ***** real British pounds in 2024. From 2016 onwards, consumers using the prepayment method paid less than standard credit consumers and, in 2022, their bill was the least expensive, at *** real British pounds. Electricity prices on the rise Household electricity prices in the UK have doubled in the past decade for both consumer groups. Despite the UK government setting a tariff cap to protect consumers, the UK’s power market was greatly impacted by the global energy crisis. In August 2022, electricity prices in Great Britain peaked at *** British pounds per megawatt-hour, over four times the price compared to August the following year.

The price of gas in the United Kingdom was 106 British pence per therm in the fourth quarter of 2024. It is anticipated gas prices will increase to 131 pence in the second quarter of 2025 before gradually falling to just under 80 pence by the second quarter of 2027.
Surging energy costs and the cost of living crisis At the height of the UK's cost of living crisis in 2022, approximately 91 percent of UK households were experiencing rising prices compared with the previous month. It was during 2022 that the UK's CPI inflation rate reached a peak of 11.1 percent, in October of that year. Food and energy, in particular, were the main drivers of inflation during this period, with energy inflation reaching 26.6 percent, and food prices increasing by 18.2 percent at the height of the crisis. Although prices fell to more expected levels by 2024, an uptick in inflation is forecast for 2025, with prices rising by 3.7 percent in the third quarter of the year. Global Inflation Crisis The UK was not alone in suffering rapid inflation during this time period, with several countries across the world experiencing an inflation crisis. The roots of the crisis began as the global economy gradually emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. Blocked-up supply chains, struggled to recover as quickly as consumer demand, with food and energy prices also facing upward pressure. Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 led to Europe gradually weening itself of cheap Russian energy exports, while for several months Ukraine struggled to export crucial food supplies to the rest of the World.

Estimates from the voluntary fortnightly business survey (BICS) showing the impacts of energy price rises on accommodation and the food service activities and other industries.

The average gas price in Great Britain in May 2025 was 82.59 British pence per therm. This was seven pence higher than the same month the year prior and follows a trend of increasing gas prices. Energy prices in the UK Energy prices in the UK have been exceptionally volatile throughout the 2020s. Multiple factors, such as a lack of gas storage availability and the large share of gas in heating, have exacerbated the supply issue in the UK that followed the Russia-Ukraine war. This has also led to many smaller suppliers announcing bankruptcy, while an upped price cap threatened the energy security of numerous households. The United Kingdom has some of the highest household electricity prices worldwide. How is gas used in the UK? According to a 2023 survey conducted by the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 58 percent of respondents used gas as a heating method during the winter months. On average, household expenditure on energy from gas in the UK stood at some 24.9 billion British pounds in 2023, double the amount spent just two years prior.

The Electricity Supply industry has developed considerably since its liberalisation in 1999. Following a period in which the Big Six suppliers dominated, energy regulator Ofgem endeavoured to introduce greater competition to the market as part of attempts to drive down energy bills. Major mergers and acquisitions effectively brought the dominance of the former Big Six suppliers to an end at the end of 2019-20. Along with weakening electricity consumption, swelling competition has applied further pressure on revenue in recent years. Electricity suppliers' revenue is slated to climb at a compound annual rate of 4.7% to reach £49.8 billion over the five years through 2024-25. The introduction of the standard variable tariff price cap in January 2019 squeezed revenue growth. The pandemic exacerbated the drop in revenue, as widespread tariff reductions compounded the effects of reduced electricity consumption. With suppliers bound by the energy price cap, soaring wholesale prices led to widening operating losses in 2021-22, albeit with a modest revenue recovery. A renewed spike in wholesale prices led to a continued wave of insolvencies among energy suppliers going into 2022-23, with 31 suppliers falling victim to the energy crisis. Soaring non-domestic energy bills and significant hikes to the SVT price cap spurred significant revenue growth in 2022-23, while the transfer of customer accounts from failed suppliers reinstated the dominance of major suppliers. The introduction of the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) and support for business energy customers prevented energy prices from spiralling out of control going into 2023-24. A faster-than-anticipated drop in wholesale electricity prices has eased pressure on operating profit in the current year, contributing to an estimated 10.1% revenue contraction. Revenue is forecast to sink at a compound annual rate of 0.9% to £47.6 billion over the five years through 2029-30. Prices will remain elevated in the medium term as concerns surrounding supplies of Russian fossil fuels into Europe inflate wholesale costs. Wholesale prices are set to stabilise in the long term, spurring tariff reductions. The continued drop in electricity consumption is also set to limit growth prospects in the coming years.

The global energy price index stood at around 101.5 in 2024. Energy prices were on a decreasing trend that year, and forecasts suggest the price index would decrease below 80 by 2026. Price indices show the development of prices for goods or services over time relative to a base year. Commodity prices may be dependent on various factors, from supply and demand to overall economic growth. Electricity prices around the world As with overall fuel prices, electricity costs for end users are dependent on power infrastructure, technology type, domestic production, and governmental levies and taxes. Generally, electricity prices are lower in countries with great coal and gas resources, as those have historically been the main sources for electricity generation. This is one of the reasons why electricity prices are lowest in resource-rich countries such as Iran, Qatar, and Russia. Meanwhile, many European governments that have introduced renewable surcharges to support the deployment of solar and wind power and are at the same time dependent on fossil fuel imports, have the highest household electricity prices. Benchmark oil prices One of the commodities found within the energy market is oil. Oil is the main raw material for all common motor fuels, from gasoline to kerosene. In resource-poor and remote regions such as the United States' states of Alaska and Hawaii, or the European country of Cyprus, it is also one of the largest sources for electricity generation. Benchmark oil prices such as Europe’s Brent, the U.S.' WTI, or the OPEC basket are often used as indicators for the overall energy price development.

Energy Inflation in the United Kingdom decreased to -1.70 percent in May from -0.90 percent in April of 2025. This dataset includes a chart with historical data for the United Kingdom Energy Inflation.

We've looked at the recent surge in UK energy prices and the effects it is having on energy suppliers and UK industries.

The gas supply industry has experienced a period of significant volatility in recent years. Industry regulator Ofgem encouraged greater competition in the industry prior to the pandemic, leading to a rapid rise in the market share of independent suppliers. This culminated in the effective break-up of the former Big Six energy suppliers in January 2020, following OVO Energy's acquisition of SSE's domestic customer book. However, record-high wholesale prices have reversed the upward trend in market participation since the pandemic, forcing 31 energy suppliers out of the industry. Revenue is forecast to rise at a compound annual rate of 5.5% to reach £23.1 billion over the five years through 2024-25. Widespread tariff reductions compounded a slump in gas consumption by non-domestic users as a result of the pandemic in 2020-21, leading to a decline in revenue. Wholesale gas prices recorded a significant rise in the aftermath of the pandemic, spurring widespread operating losses and insolvencies among suppliers. A renewed spike in wholesale prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine contributed to a surge on non-domestic bills, while significant increases to the energy price cap provoked strong revenue growth. The introduction of the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) and support for business energy customers prevented energy prices from spiralling out of control over the two years through 2023-24. Falling wholesale gas prices and downward trending consumption has lowered revenue and eased pressure on profitability in the current year. Revenue is forecast to slide by 22.9% in 2024-25. Revenue is slated to fall at a compound annual rate of 2% to £20.9 billion over the five years through 2029-30. Households and businesses are likely to continue to conserve energy as bills remain high in the near-term, weighing on revenue. The downward trend in gas consumption will continue to prevail in the coming years as the government continues to seek improved energy efficiency, including through the proposed banning on gas boilers in newbuild homes from 2025.