← All guides

Can you dodge the next price cap rise?

Every time the price cap jumps, millions of people just… pay the higher bill. But for most of them the rise is, in Martin Lewis’s words, basically voluntary — you don’t have to take it lying down.

• The cap isn’t a deal — it’s the default. If you do nothing, you sit on the standard variable tariff and ride every cap rise. It’s the fallback, not the floor of the market. What the cap actually is →
• There’s usually something cheaper. When the cap climbs, fixed deals and some variable tariffs often sit below it. Moving to one locks you out of (or under) the rise. The next cap change is 1 October 2026, announced around 26 August — what the October cap means →
• Watch the exit fees. A fix can carry a penalty for leaving early. If you might move again soon, a no-exit-fee tariff keeps you free to jump. Should you fix? →
• When NOT to bother. If the cheapest fix is pricier than the cap and prices look set to fall, staying on the cap can win. There’s no one right answer — it depends on where prices are headed and how much certainty you want.

The catch with every “you could save” headline: it’s based on a typical home, not yours. Joulely prices the real deals against your own usage, so you see whether dodging the rise actually saves you money — or whether you’re better off sitting tight.