Ofgem will raise the energy price cap by £63 from 1 October, the third increase this year. For a household that irons clothes for two hours a week, that means an extra £20.40 on the annual electricity bill, as reported by the Daily Express.
What the price cap rise means for your appliances
A typical iron draws 1,200 watts. At the current cap of 24.5p per kWh, an hour of ironing costs 29.4p. Under the new cap of 27.35p per kWh, that rises to 32.8p, a 11.6% increase. Over 52 weeks at two hours per week, the extra cost is £20.40. But irons are just one culprit. Kettles, washing machines, and tumble dryers all face similar percentage hikes. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that household appliances account for 20% of the average electricity bill. For a 3-bed semi using 3,000 kWh annually on appliances, the cap rise adds roughly £85 to the total bill.
Who qualifies, and who doesn’t
The price cap applies to all households on standard variable tariffs, about 28 million homes. Those on fixed-rate deals are shielded until their contract ends. But the cap does nothing for the 4 million households on prepayment meters, who already pay a higher standing charge. Ofgem’s own data shows that prepayment customers paid £49 more on average last year. The catch is that the cap is a maximum unit rate, not a total bill cap. So households that use more energy, larger homes, older properties, families, feel the pinch hardest.
What it costs a typical 3-bed semi
Take a 3-bed semi with gas central heating and electric appliances. Annual electricity use: 3,500 kWh. At the new cap, that’s £957, up from £857. Gas: 12,000 kWh at 6.5p per kWh is £780, up £72. Total bill: £1,737. That’s £135 more than last year. The government’s Energy Price Guarantee ended in June 2023, so households now face the full market rate. The Warm Home Discount, worth £150, is available to low-income households, but eligibility is tight, only those on certain benefits qualify.
How to cut your energy bill without turning off the iron
Three quick wins: First, use appliances during off-peak hours if you have a time-of-use tariff like Economy 7, typically 11pm to 7am. Second, switch to a heat pump dryer or a steam iron that uses less wattage. Third, insulate your loft: the Energy Saving Trust says 270mm of loft insulation saves £315 a year on bills. For the long term, a heat pump can cut heating costs by 30% compared to gas, and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme offers £7,500 towards installation. The payback period is typically 7-10 years, but with the cap rising every quarter, the maths gets better.
What the government should do next
The price cap is a blunt instrument. It protects households from the worst spikes but does nothing to reduce underlying demand. Ofgem should mandate energy labelling on all new appliances sold in the UK, showing annual running costs at the current cap. The Treasury could cut VAT on energy-efficient appliances from 20% to 5%. And the Warm Home Discount should be expanded to cover all households on Universal Credit. Until then, homeowners are left ironing their shirts by candlelight, metaphorically, at least.
Frequently Asked Questions
Under the October 2024 price cap of 27.35p per kWh, a typical 1,200-watt iron costs 32.8p per hour to run. That's up from 29.4p under the previous cap.
Use a steam iron with a lower wattage (around 800 watts) and iron clothes in batches to minimise heat-up time. Alternatively, invest in a clothes steamer, which uses 50% less energy than a traditional iron.
