Last updated: 28 August 2026. Updated every quarter when Ofgem revises the energy price cap. Figures below use the official cap unit rates and are fully adjustable in the calculator.
Annual heating cost by system
| Heating system | Annual running cost | vs gas boiler |
|---|
Gas boiler row includes the gas standing charge (heating is assumed to be the only gas use in an electrified comparison). Heat pump rows assume the home already has an electricity supply, so no extra standing charge is added. VAT included.
Methodology & sources
Running cost = annual heat demand ÷ system efficiency × unit rate. The default heat demand of 10,000 kWh/year is our own assumption for a typical UK 3-bed semi and the slider covers the range. For scale, Ofgem’s 2026 typical gas consumption value is 9,500 kWh/year, which at 85% boiler efficiency is about 8,100 kWh of delivered heat, so 10,000 kWh describes a slightly larger or less efficient home. Unit rates are the Ofgem price cap averages for direct-debit customers in England, Scotland and Wales. April–June 2026: electricity 24.67p/kWh, gas 5.74p/kWh. July–September 2026: electricity 26.11p/kWh (standing 57.19p/day), gas 7.33p/kWh (standing 29.04p/day), Ofgem typical dual-fuel bill £1,663. October–December 2026: electricity 26.32p/kWh (standing 54.83p/day), gas 7.97p/kWh (standing 29.68p/day), Ofgem typical dual-fuel bill £1,723, confirmed 26 August 2026. Two cautions on comparing periods. Ofgem cut its typical consumption values on 1 July 2026, from 2,700 kWh of electricity and 11,500 kWh of gas to 2,500 and 9,500, so typical bill totals published before and after that date are not on the same basis. Ofgem also warns that the October period cannot be compared directly with earlier ones on electricity, because VAT on domestic electricity was removed from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027. The gas comparison is unaffected. Real-world heat pump SCOP of 2.8 reflects UK field trial medians; 3.5+ is achievable with good design. This page is updated within a week of each Ofgem cap announcement.
Considering a heat pump? See our heat pump guide, detailed running-cost analysis and suitability checker, or How to compare solar quotes.