Ofgem has confirmed that the energy price cap in the UK will rise to at least £2,800 in October, pushing household bills up to £233 a month.
The regulator revealed the hike in prices this afternoon, as its chief executive, Jonathan Brearley, told the Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee that Ofgem anticipates the new price cap this October will be “in the region of £2,800”.
Mr Brearly even suggested that “it’s quite possible this [price cap] could go higher”, telling the Committee: “The volatility in the gas market is huge.”
Currently, the energy price cap sits at £1,971 – having increased by over 50% in April.
That means that, within the space of six months, the regulator’s energy price cap in the UK will have risen by £1,512.
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Currently, here in the UK, there are nearly 6.5 million people living in poverty. However, Ofgem is now warning the government that this could well double in October when the price cap goes up again.
The Ofgem Chief Exec has told MPs the price cap will rise c42% in Oct putting typical use to £2,800/yr. I'm glad he's been open about this, I asked last week for them to publish forward guidance.
This is higher than analysts predictions of £2,600 (both bloody awful though)
With UK inflation at the highest it has been in 40 years, many struggling households are also seeing price rises at fuel pumps and in the supermarket.
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Mr Brearly told the committee that costs are currently rising at a “once in a generation” rate “not seen since the 1970s”, and that this issue is something that only the government could address.
National Insurance tax has just been increased by the Chancellor in his spring budget, too, meaning that people are taking home less money as prices soar.
Soaring energy bills are considered to be the biggest inflation driver in the UK right now, and there is increasing pressure on the government to do more to help families and children who are slipping into poverty as a result of the cost of living emergency.
Whilst the government has said it is willing to support people, it is yet to deliver any solutions – such as introducing a Windfall Tax on energy companies or restoring the £20 a week Universal Credit uplift to help the country’s worst off.
Labour has called the price cap news ‘extremely concerning’, adding that it “will cause huge worry for families already facing soaring bills and rising inflation”.
Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “How many more alarm bells does the chancellor need to hear before he acts? The government have got to get a grip on this crisis and to protect families and our economy.
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As @ofgem warns that the energy price cap is expected to rise to £2,800 in October, we take a look at what help is available, if you're struggling to pay your bills. https://t.co/48t49gzVFI
“Yet again, Labour calls urgently on the government to bring forward an emergency budget, with a windfall tax on oil and gas producer profits to lower bills for families.”
Boris Johnson’s spokesperson maintained that the government is already offering help which will be ‘phased throughout the year’.
They said: “Some of the support is designed to come in in October, £200 will be discounted from energy bills, the warm home discount will increase to £150 and be expanded to cover three million people, cold weather payments and winter fuel payments will be available again,” the spokesman said.”
Feature image – RawPixel
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Microdot exhibit for BRITs 2026: the artwork of Oasis, Verve and more up in Manchester Piccadilly
Danny Jones
If you’ve passed through Manchester Piccadilly of late, you might have noticed two things: one, it’s really quiet, and two, there’s loads of cool Britpop merch and memorabilia on display, including original Oasis, The Verve, Inspiral Carpets art and more – all courtesy of Microdot.
Set up as part of the city’s own BRITs celebrations, along with a raft of other nationwide festivities, as the annual music award ceremony prepares to make its Manc debut at the Co-op Live this month, the showcase features special edition frames and more, all pride of place in the middle of the train station.
This collection, simply entitled ‘A Microdot Design’, is all done by the legendary Brian Cannon, the graphic designer and art director behind so much recognisable visual material within the genre.
We recently had the honour of speaking to the man himself in person ahead of Piccadilly’s temporary closure; you can see our interview with him right here:
The Wigan-born artist and visionary didn’t just make promotional materials for some of the biggest bands in the 1990s; he’s responsible for what has gone on to become some of the most familiar iconography in British music history.
With this pop-up exhibit available for a limited time only, we strongly urge you to go along and, for once, take your time rather than rushing around the station as you peruse the boards placed right near the main entrance.
Charting his work from circa 1990 up until now, it’s crazy to see just how many of Brian and Microdot’s fingerprints are all over so many different bands and artists.
From native names like Oasis, The Verve and the Inspirals, as mentioned, as well as the likes of Cast, Super Furry Animals, Suede and Ash, plus so many more, this guy has been nothing short of prolific over the past few decades.
Audio North took a little tour of the King Street South unit last year in the lead-up to Oasis Live ’25 reunion world tour, and we felt like kids in a Britpop sweetshop.
While this site has sadly since closed, shutting up shop back in July, Brian’s mini, modest, but nevertheless magic Microdot Boutique up in the Lake District is still standing.
Located in the popular North West town and tourist attraction, Kendal, it’s worth a trip there to see more of his portfolio alone.
Currently on display at Manchester Piccadilly ahead of the full 2026 BRITs Week and shindig at Co-op Live, it’s one of the best completely free things you can do in town at the moment – but the exhibition finishes on Sunday, 1 March, so make sure you don’t miss it.
Speaking of the BRIT Awards, if you’re wondering what else is on as 0161 gets ready welcome them for their two-year stint (at least), look no further…
Two brothers from Oldham are beating out the likes of Taylor Swift in the iTunes charts
Danny Jones
A pair of brothers from Oldham who simply go by Two Connors are now holding on to the top spot in one of the biggest iTunes charts, and they’re beating the likes of Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Bad Bunny and many more.
Stuff your global music stars, we’ll back a duo from Greater Manchester all day long.
Danny and Callum Connor, a couple of blokes from Oldham in their mid-30s, are currently number one in the iTunes singles charts with their latest song, ‘Familiar Faces’, but this isn’t the first time they’ve gone big with a release online.
Carving out their own little corner not only in the old Lancashire borough but a small pocket in the UK’s wider grime, drill, rap and hip-hop scene, they’ve only gotten bigger over the last 18 months or so.
After releasing their first two tracks back in 2024, Callum and Danny have been on a very gradual rise, but they quickly gained a cult local following in and around Oldham.
Writing about life and around the area, with high personal and anecdotal lyrics that feel like niche references and in-jokes specifically for‘Roughyed’ residents – it’s not just music by them but FOR them.
In addition to recording their own unique cover of ‘Bad Habits’ by Ed Sheeran, they also went fairly viral for releasing a music video featuring crowds of local children.
Putting their own chant-based chorus slant on ‘Hi Ho, Hi Ho, “It’s off to Work We Go”‘, written by Mitch Miller and The Sandpipers (yes, as in the main theme from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs), it was a fairly radio-friendly tune that was easy for kids and more to sing along with.
With various other natives getting involved in the music video, joining them on the town centre streets and lip-syncing the lyrics, it was circulated online all over Britain and beyond.
You can watch it in full down below.
Fast forward to February 2026, and not only have they grown their following across the region, but even further afield now, as it turns out; currently sitting ahead of ‘Opalite’ from worldwide smash-hit album, The Life of a Showgirl, who needs big label backing, eh?
Bringing smiles to even more Greater Mancs by quite literally shining the spotlight on ‘Familiar Faces’ and punters from nearby pubs such as The Up Stepps Inn and former nightclub Sruples, it is a real tribute to their homeland.
Only time will tell how long they’ll cling to that iTunes top spot, but with nearly 73,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and counting, they might be one of the biggest music names to come out of OL in some time.
In other big news over in Oldham, on the sporting side of things, RLFC are staring down yet more uncertainty, with local hero Bill Quinn also wrapping up his time at the club.
Georgina Pellant -
24th May 2022 
