Ireland, Italy, and Germany had some of the highest household electricity prices worldwide, as of March 2025. At the time, Irish households were charged around 0.45 U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour, while in Italy, the price stood at 0.43 U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour. By comparison, in Russia, residents paid almost 10 times less. What is behind electricity prices? Electricity prices vary widely across the world and sometimes even within a country itself, depending on factors like infrastructure, geography, and politically determined taxes and levies. For example, in Denmark, Belgium, and Sweden, taxes constitute a significant portion of residential end-user electricity prices. Reliance on fossil fuel imports Meanwhile, thanks to their great crude oil and natural gas production output, countries like Iran, Qatar, and Russia enjoy some of the cheapest electricity prices in the world. Here, the average household pays less than 0.1 U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour. In contrast, countries heavily reliant on fossil fuel imports for electricity generation are more vulnerable to market price fluctuations.

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.

UK Electricity decreased 30.30 GBP/MWh or 29.58% 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.

This dataset provides values for ELECTRICITY PRICE reported in several countries. The data includes current values, previous releases, historical highs and record lows, release frequency, reported unit and currency.

Monthly averages of system electricity prices in the UK decreased in May 2025 from the previous month to *****pence per kilowatt-hour. The price across the period in question peaked at ***** pence per kilowatt-hour in February 2023.

Electricity prices in Europe are expected to remain volatile through 2025, with Italy projected to have some of the highest rates among major European economies. This trend reflects the ongoing challenges in the energy sector, including the transition to renewable sources and the impact of geopolitical events on supply chains. Despite efforts to stabilize the market, prices in countries like Italy are forecasted to reach ****** euros per megawatt hour by February 2025, indicating persistent pressure on consumers and businesses alike. Natural gas futures shaping electricity costs The electricity market's future trajectory is closely tied to natural gas prices, a key component in power generation. Dutch TTF gas futures, a benchmark for European natural gas prices, are projected to be ***** euros per megawatt hour in April 2025. This represents an increase of about ** euros compared to the previous year, suggesting that gas prices will continue to influence electricity rates across Europe. The reduced output from the Groningen gas field and increased reliance on imports further complicate the pricing landscape, potentially contributing to higher electricity costs in countries like Italy. Regional disparities and global market influences While European electricity prices remain high, significant regional differences persist. For instance, natural gas prices in the United States are expected to be roughly one-third of those in Europe by March 2025, at **** U.S. dollars per million British thermal units. This stark contrast highlights the impact of domestic production capabilities on global natural gas prices. Europe's greater reliance on imports, particularly in the aftermath of geopolitical tensions and the shift away from Russian gas, continues to keep prices elevated compared to more self-sufficient markets. As a result, countries like Italy may face sustained pressure on electricity prices due to their position within the broader European energy market.

UK Gas rose to 80.18 GBp/thm on July 22, 2025, up 0.69% from the previous day. Over the past month, UK Gas's price has fallen 16.23%, but it is still 10.44% 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.

In September 2024, industrial electricity prices in the European countries of Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom were among the highest in the world, at around **** U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour. Singapore was the Asian country with the highest electricity bill worldwide at that time. Lowest electricity prices in the world The average retail electricity price in the United States was considerably lower than in most of Europe. Iceland was the European country with one of the lowest electricity bills for enterprises that month. At the bottom of the ranking were also Russia, Iraq, Qatar, Argentina, and Libya. In these countries, commercial electricity prices amounted to less than *** U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour. Household electricity prices In addition, European countries had the highest household electricity prices worldwide that month, with Italy at the top of the ranking. By comparison, Iran and Ethiopia had the lowest residential electricity prices in the world.

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.

Wholesale electricity prices in the United Kingdom hit a record-high in 2022, reaching **** British pence per kilowatt-hour that year. Projections indicate that prices are bound to decrease steadily in the next few years, falling under **** pence per kilowatt-hour by 2030.

Data are taken from the Microgeneration Certification Scheme - MCS Installation Database.

For enquiries concerning this table email fitstatistics@energysecurity.gov.uk.

TTF Gas fell to 33.29 EUR/MWh on July 22, 2025, down 0.13% from the previous day. Over the past month, TTF Gas's price has fallen 18.05%, but it is still 6.22% higher than a year ago, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. EU Natural Gas TTF - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on July of 2025.

The price of gas in the United Kingdom was *** British pence per therm in the fourth quarter of 2024. It is anticipated gas prices will increase to *** pence in the second quarter of 2025 before gradually falling to just under ** 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 ** 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 **** percent, in October of that year. Food and energy, in particular, were the main drivers of inflation during this period, with energy inflation reaching **** percent, and food prices increasing by **** 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 *** 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.