Ofgem price cap Archives

March 27, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

How to Cut Household Bills in the UK: 7 Realistic Ways to Save

Last updated: 10 June 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

The average UK household now spends well over £2,800 a month on bills and living costs. Energy alone accounts for £1,641 a year from April 2026 under the new Ofgem price cap, and that is after a 7% reduction. Council tax is rising again. Broadband providers are quietly adding £3–4 a month to existing contracts. It all adds up fast.

So how do you actually cut household bills in the UK without making your life miserable? This guide covers seven realistic ways to reduce what you pay each month across energy, your mortgage, food shopping, broadband, mobile and more. Every suggestion links to a deeper guide or a tried-and-tested deal on this site, so you can act on each one straight away.

Published by Stiv in Discount, Finance, Guides, Saving

Tags: bills, broadband, energy bills, energy saving, grubby, household bills, meal kits, mobile, money saving, mortgage, octopus energy, Ofgem price cap, referral offers, save money UK, Sprive, UK household

March 22, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Energy Profits Cap UK: Why It’s Time to Cap What Energy Companies Earn

Last updated: 29 March 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

The idea of an energy profits cap in the UK just got its most high-profile backer yet. Lord Richard Walker, the government's Cost of Living Champion and executive chairman of Iceland, has called on ministers to impose a temporary cap on the profits of energy and petrol companies to stop them cashing in on the Middle East crisis. With bills forecast to rocket again by summer, we think he's absolutely right. In fact, we'd go further.

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Published by Stiv in Cost of living, Energy, Money saving

Tags: Cost of Living, electricity prices, energy bills UK, energy nationalisation, energy profits cap, gas prices, Middle East energy crisis, Ofgem price cap, renewable energy, Richard Walker

March 18, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Octopus Agile vs Tracker: Which Smart Tariff Saves More? (2026)

Last updated: 29 March 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

Choosing between Octopus Agile vs Tracker comes down to how much pricing volatility you're willing to accept and how actively you want to manage your energy usage. Both tariffs follow wholesale markets, but they work very differently. Tracker changes your unit rate once per day. Agile changes it every 30 minutes. And while Tracker covers both gas and electricity, Agile is electricity-only.

Quick comparison

Tracker: daily rate, covers gas and electricity, moderate volatility.
Agile: half-hourly rate, electricity only, high volatility but negative pricing possible.
Both require a SMETS2 smart meter (or certain SMETS1 models).
Both have no exit fees.
Both include Price Cap Protect at 100p/kWh for electricity.

If you're exploring Octopus more broadly, keep switching and referral details centralised here: Octopus Energy referral guide.

Decided on a smart tariff?

Whichever you pick, the current Octopus sign-up credit and steps are on our referral page.

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Published by Stiv in Energy, Reviews, Saving, Services, UK Made

Tags: Agile tariff, dynamic pricing, octopus energy, Ofgem price cap, smart energy tariffs, Tracker tariff, UK energy bills

March 15, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

UK Mortgage Rates Rising: What the Middle East Conflict Means for Your Bills

Originally published: 15 March 2026. Reviewed for accuracy: 10 June 2026. This is a dated news post tied to specific events in early 2026; it is not intended as evergreen advice.

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

I write this with skin in the game: a Nationwide mortgage of my own, plus £100 a month in overpayments running through Sprive since October 2021, so I have watched these rate swings over four-plus years as a borrower, not just a blogger.

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

Overpaying as your hedge?

If overpaying is your answer to all of this, we keep the current Sprive welcome offer and claim steps up to date on our referral page.

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Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

CoolCuration is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and does not provide financial advice. The information below is for general informational purposes only. Always seek advice from an FCA-regulated broker or adviser before making mortgage decisions.

If you've been watching the news this year, you'll know the Middle East conflict has thrown a spanner into the UK's financial outlook. UK mortgage rates climbed again after weeks of improvement, lenders pulled deals, and energy prices headed in the wrong direction. Whether you're on a fixed-rate mortgage nearing renewal or simply trying to keep your gas bill under control, the events of early 2026 have had lasting consequences. Here's what happened, what it means for your money, and what you can actually do about it.

Published by Stiv in Money, Personal finance

Tags: 2026, Bank of England, energy prices, Middle East conflict, mortgage rates, Ofgem price cap, remortgage, UK personal finance

March 2, 2026 — Comments are off for this post.

Octopus Tracker Tariff Explained: Daily Pricing, Risks and Savings (2026)

Last updated: 29 March 2026

By Stiv · Design, technology and personal finance

This article contains affiliate or referral links. If you click through and sign up I may earn a commission or referral bonus at no extra cost to you. It does not affect my editorial view.

The Octopus Tracker tariff explained in plain English: it's a smart energy deal where your unit rate changes daily based on wholesale market prices. Unlike standard variable tariffs capped by Ofgem, Tracker follows the market more closely. As a result, it can dip below the price cap when wholesale costs are low, but it can also climb higher during volatile periods.

Quick summary

Unit rates change daily based on wholesale costs.
Standing charges stay fixed (reviewed every three months).
Price Cap Protect limits: 100p/kWh electricity, 30p/kWh gas.
No exit fees, but you can't rejoin for 9 months if you leave early.
Requires a SMETS2 smart meter (or certain SMETS1 models).

If you're comparing Octopus switching routes and want the current sign-up credit, keep referral details centralised here: Octopus Energy referral guide.

Tempted by Tracker?

Our Octopus referral page keeps the current new-customer credit and joining steps in one place.

Get the Octopus credit

Published by Stiv in Energy, Services, UK Made

Tags: energy bills UK, octopus energy, Ofgem price cap, smart energy tariffs, switching energy, Tracker tariff