Look for "unit rate" or "p/kWh" on the bill or in the app. That number, not the headline cap figure, is what every running cost on this site should be recalculated with.
- Find the unit rate in pence per kWh for electricity, and separately for gas if you have it.
- Find the standing charge in pence per day, which you pay whether you use anything or not.
- Note that these differ by region and by how you pay. Direct debit, prepayment and standard credit are priced differently, and the cap headline is an England, Scotland and Wales average.
- If you are on Economy 7 you have two rates, and the night rate is usually around a third of the day rate.
- Put your number into the calculator on any running cost page and the figures become yours rather than an average.
The widely reported cap figure is an annual bill for a typical household, not a price. Your bill is your own usage at your own rates, and quoting the headline number at anybody is meaningless.
The price cap limits the rate, not the bill. Two households on the same tariff in different regions pay different unit rates, which is why a single national running-cost figure is always slightly wrong for everybody.
Energy figures are worked from the Ofgem price cap on the date shown and from typical power for the appliance class, not from a named model. Your own rate and your own rating plate are the ones that count. Full disclaimer.