Fixed energy tariff ending: what happens and what to do

When a fixed gas and electricity deal ends and you have done nothing, your supplier moves you onto its standard variable tariff. The supply carries on as before, only the prices change. From 49 days before the end date you can leave for another deal without paying an exit fee, so that is the time to compare.

This guide covers England, Scotland and Wales. Around 11 million households, 35% of the total, were on a fixed tariff when Ofgem set the October 2026 price cap, so a large number of people reach this point every month.

The letter or e-mail that starts the clock

Your supplier has to tell you that the fix is coming to an end. The rule dates from Ofgem’s retail market reforms, announced on 22 October 2013: suppliers must notify customers between 42 and 49 days before the contract ends. Citizens Advice puts the same duty in plain words: the company must remind you when your contract is about to end.

A reminder is easy to miss among other messages from the supplier, so do not rely on it alone. Look up the end date of your tariff on a recent bill or in your online account and put it in your diary. Our free contract alert sends you an e-mail before the window opens, if you would rather not rely on your memory.

49 days: the window without exit fees

Many fixed tariffs charge an exit fee if you leave early. Citizens Advice gives the rule as follows: with 49 days or less left on a fixed tariff you can switch for free. With 50 days or more left, you might have to pay an exit fee.

Ofgem’s wording from 2013 is that between the notification and the end of the fixed term, suppliers are banned from charging a termination fee if the customer decides to switch. Citizens Advice also describes the window as seven weeks.

Count the days from your end date, not from the day the reminder arrives. A reminder sent 42 days before the end still leaves you six weeks.

What you pay if you do nothing

The rates on a standard variable tariff are limited by the Ofgem price cap. From 1 October to 31 December 2026 the cap is £1,723 a year for a typical household that uses both fuels and pays by Direct Debit. Ofgem’s average capped rates for Direct Debit customers are:

The rates differ by region and by payment method. The gas figures include 5% VAT. There is no VAT on household electricity from 1 October 2026 to 31 March 2027.

Two points are often misunderstood. The cap limits the unit rates and standing charges, not your total bill: if you use more, you pay more. And it moves. Ofgem sets a new level every three months, and the next one, for January to March 2027, is due on 25 November 2026. A household that drifts onto the standard variable tariff in October will therefore see its rates change again on 1 January.

There is one advantage. A standard variable tariff has no end date and no exit fee, so you can leave it whenever a deal appears that suits you.

Comparing a new fix with the cap

Look at your old fixed rates, the capped rates above and the fixed deals on sale today. Whether your bill goes up or down at the end of the fix depends on when you signed. Ofgem’s announcements this year show how far prices moved: the cap fell 7% in April 2026, rose 13% in July and rose a further 4% in October.

Work with the annual cost for your own usage in kWh, standing charges included. The kWh figures are on your bill or annual statement. Then put them into a comparison site, where we mark the partner links, and look at what your current supplier offers as well.

Ofgem said on 26 August 2026 that fixed tariffs were available at £100 or more below the October cap. That was the position on that day. Deals are withdrawn and repriced all the time, so check the figures on the day you decide.

A fix is a bet as well as a price. Citizens Advice says a fixed tariff might be cheaper over a whole year than staying on a standard variable tariff, but it could end up costing you more, depending on how the cost of energy changes. If a new fix costs more than the capped rates today, you pay extra for certainty. Some households want that, particularly through the winter. Others would rather stay flexible.

Before you sign, read the exit fee of the new tariff. It decides how expensive it is to change your mind in a year’s time.

Timing the move

A switch to another supplier must be completed within 5 working days under Ofgem’s rules, and the new supplier owes you £40 if it is late. You have a 14-day cooling-off period that begins the day after you agree the contract. If you ask for the switch to start only after the cooling-off period, Citizens Advice says it can take up to 21 days in total.

You do not need to contact the old supplier. The new one does that. Take a meter reading on the day of the switch unless a smart meter sends readings for you. The old supplier must send the final bill within 6 weeks and refund any credit within 10 working days of sending it.

If you stay with the same supplier and only change tariff, ask it to confirm in writing the date on which the new rates begin.

When the fix has months left to run

Leaving early can still pay, but only after subtracting the exit fee. Citizens Advice suggests working out whether the saving from the new deal is larger than the fee. If it is not, wait for the 49-day window.

During the fixed term your supplier cannot raise the price. Citizens Advice notes one exception: a change in the rate of VAT.

If the supplier gets it wrong

The usual problems are a reminder that never came, an exit fee charged inside the window, or a final bill that does not match your reading. Complain to the supplier first, in writing, and keep the dates. It has 8 weeks to resolve the complaint. After that, or once it sends you a deadlock letter, the Energy Ombudsman will look at the case free of charge. You must go to the Ombudsman within 12 months of the deadlock letter.

For help with the complaint itself, the Citizens Advice consumer service answers on 0808 223 1133, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Calls are free from mobiles and landlines.