UtilityPrices insight
London vs South Eastern England electricity benchmarks for October to December 2026
For the October–December 2026 price-cap period, the regional electricity benchmark is lower in London than in South Eastern England on both the unit rate and daily standing charge. These are price-cap reference figures for eligible domestic default tariffs, not supplier quotes or a cap on a household’s final bill.
Published 10 October 2026 · Written with AI assistance
From 1 October to 31 December 2026, London’s single-rate household electricity benchmark is 26.60p per kWh, with a 42.92p daily standing charge. In South Eastern England, the corresponding figures are 26.88p per kWh and 52.32p per day. Both figures are for the same regional default-tariff price-cap benchmark and therefore provide a like-for-like comparison: single-rate electricity, for the Direct Debit basis used in the cap methodology. The source describes this category as “Other Payment Method”, but explains that it is the Direct Debit benchmark, rather than Standard Credit or Prepayment. [1]
South Eastern England’s benchmark unit rate is 0.28p per kWh higher than London’s. Its standing charge is 9.40p a day higher, equivalent to about £34.32 over a 365-day year. The standing charge is payable each day, including days when no electricity is used, whereas the unit-rate element depends on consumption. That means the difference between the regions depends on both how much electricity a household uses and how long it is supplied during the period. [1][2]
Ofgem’s published typical-use benchmark uses 2,500 kWh of electricity a year. On that annual usage, the published electricity benchmark is £821.53 in London and £862.95 in South Eastern England: a £41.42 annual difference, with South Eastern England higher. These are annualised benchmark amounts, not bills already paid in the October–December quarter and not quoted fixed-tariff prices. The underlying figures are rounded in the published cap tables, so reconstructing an annual total from the displayed pence rates can produce a small rounding difference. [1]
For a simple three-month illustration only, October to December contains 92 days. A household using one quarter of the 2,500 kWh annual reference amount — 625 kWh — would have benchmark electricity charges of roughly £205.74 in London and £216.13 in South Eastern England, before any tariff-specific variation. This combines 625 kWh at each displayed unit rate with 92 daily standing charges. Actual winter use may be above or below 625 kWh, so this is a usage scenario rather than a forecast or a bill estimate for every home. [1][2]
The electricity figures supplied for this period show 0% VAT, so the stated electricity benchmarks are on that tax basis. They should not be combined with the gas figures in the tables: gas has a different typical consumption reference and a different VAT treatment in the source. Nor should the figures be treated as wholesale energy prices, historic prices paid, or guaranteed available deals. They are derived regional cap benchmarks, while suppliers set individual tariff prices. [1][2]
The price cap limits eligible unit rates and standing charges, not a household’s total spending. It applies to relevant standard variable/default tariffs and is reset by Ofgem every three months. Fixed tariffs, business energy contracts, heating oil and heat networks are outside this protection. A London or South Eastern England household should therefore use its own supplier’s tariff, meter type, payment method and postcode region when checking a bill or comparing a quote; the regional figures here are a benchmark for the stated October–December 2026 period. [1][2]