Ofgem Confirms a 4% Energy Price Cap Rise for October
Ofgem confirmed on Wednesday that the energy price cap rises 4% for the 1 October to 31 December quarter. A typical dual-fuel household paying by direct debit goes from £1,663 to £1,723 a year, an increase of £60, or about £5 a month. The cap is a limit on the per-unit rate for standard-variable customers, not a ceiling on any single bill, so what you actually pay still depends on how much energy you use through the winter.
The rise is almost entirely a gas story. Gas bills go up 8%, while electricity stays broadly stable because the government removed VAT from domestic electricity - so a household with no gas sees a rise of less than 1%. Roughly one home in three is on a fixed deal and is unaffected until that fix ends, and Ofgem notes fixed tariffs are available at £100 or more below the October cap. Prices remain about 52% below the 2022 crisis peak, when bills were capped at £2,500.
Source: Ofgem - Energy price cap will rise 4% in October | Related: Real Cost of Living tool
Deadline to Register for Self Assessment: 5 October
If you had new untaxed income in the 2025/26 tax year, you must tell HMRC by 5 October so it can set you up for Self Assessment. That covers side income above the £1,000 trading allowance, a first year of rental income, dividends over the £500 allowance, or a capital gain above the £3,000 exempt amount. It is a statutory deadline, and missing it can mean a penalty.
The timing matters this year because digital-platform reporting letters are landing on sellers around the same point. Being reported to HMRC and owing tax are two different questions, but if you do have tax to pay, registering is the first step - the return itself is not due until 31 January.
Source: GOV.UK - Register for Self Assessment | Related: Side income and the trading allowance guide
The Autumn Budget Is Confirmed for 28 October
HM Treasury has set the Autumn Budget for Wednesday 28 October, with an updated forecast from the Office for Budget Responsibility alongside it. Nothing about tax has actually changed yet. Pre-Budget commentary about pensions, capital gains and allowances is prediction, not policy, so it is worth treating any dated tax-rise claim before 28 October as speculation rather than a reason to act in a hurry.
Source: GOV.UK - Autumn Budget confirmed for 28 October | Related: Real Cost of Living tool
Key Dates
1 October 2026 - the new energy price cap takes effect (£1,723 typical, up 4%).
5 October 2026 - deadline to register for Self Assessment for 2025/26 untaxed income.
28 October 2026 - the Autumn Budget.