Only seven fixed energy deals beat October's price cap - and they will save you £500 a year compared to January predictions...

Products featured in this article are independently selected by This is Money's specialist journalists. If you open an account using links which have an asterisk, This is Money will earn an affiliate commission. We do not allow this to affect our editorial independence.It's still possible to avoid the 4 per cent hike to the energy price cap starting on October 1, but there are slim pickings for deals that undercut the new level.There are just seven fixed tariffs that beat October's price cap according to price comparison website Uswitch.However, savings look far better when compared against predictions for the January 2027 price cap. These suggest a huge 25 per cent rise from October's rate, in the coldest months of the year.If you haven't fixed your energy bills in a year or more and you pay by direct debit, it's likely you're on a standard tariff. These follow the price cap that the regulator, Ofgem, sets every three months.The cap is subject to the mercy of the wholesale energy market, which has been very volatile over the last six months primarily because of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.Just keep in mind that neither the price cap nor a fixed tariff limits your total bill. Instead they set the maximum price that your supplier can charge for each unit of energy.If you use more or less than the average household, your bill will be different than the annual quoted amount.> Compare the cheapest fixed energy tariffs with Uswitch* Budgeting: Knowing the fixed costs of your energy gives you more certainty over your billsThese are the best energy deals right now – how much can you save?Energy suppliers and market analysts regularly release predictions for the next level of the cap based on current wholesale energy prices.You should take these with a pinch of salt because the energy market moves rapidly and is subject to geopolitical events that can't be foreseen.That being said, the average of predictions for January 2027 across suppliers that release them weekly is for the cap to rise from £1,723 to a whopping £2,152 – almost a 25 per cent increase.British Gas prediction: £2,160 for the average householdEDF Energy prediction: £2,165 for the average householdEon Next prediction: £2,131 for the average household Even though there's a dearth of fixed deals that beat the October price cap, all the ten cheapest deals available right now beat the average prediction for January by a considerable distance.Beyond potential cost savings, fixing gives you certainty over your bills for a set period. With fuel prices also rising, knowing how much your energy will cost can help you budget and plan for turning the heating on over winter.These are the ten cheapest deals available according to the price comparison website Uswitch:> Check the best fixed rate energy deals with Uswitch and This is Money* The best energy deals currently available Supplier Tariff Duration Average annual bill Against Oct price cap (£1,723) Against Jan prediction (£2,152) Exit fees Availability Sainsbury's Energy Sainsburys Fix and Reward Fixed 24m v51 24 months £1,646 £77 below cap £506 below prediction £100 per fuel Direct via Sainsbury's Energy Fuse Energy September 2026 Fixed (18m) V10 18 months £1,662 £61 below cap £490 below prediction £50 per fuel Uswitch.com, Confused and Fuse Energy Outfox Energy Fix'd Dual Sep26 24M v3 - Family Advantage+ 24 months £1,676 £47 below cap £476 below prediction £100 per fuel Direct via Outfox Energy Outfox Energy Fix'd Dual Sep26 18M v3 - Family Advantage+ 18 months £1,676 £47 below cap £476 below prediction £75 per fuel Direct via Outfox Energy Fuse Energy September 2026 Fixed (24m) V8 24 months £1,680 £43 below cap £472 below prediction £50 per fuel Uswitch.com, Confused and Fuse Energy Eon Next Next Fixed 24m v71 24 months £1,695 £28 below cap £457 below prediction £100 per fuel Uswitch.com, Confused and E.ON Next Ecotricity EcoFixed - 2 Year September 26 v5 24 months £1,712 £11 below cap £440 below prediction £100 per fuel Uswitch.com, Confused and Ecotricity Octopus Energy Octopus 18M Fixed September 2026 v3 18 months £1,738 £15 above cap £414 below prediction £75 per fuel Direct via Octopus Energy Co-op Energy Co-op 18M Fixed September 2026 v3 18 months £1,738 £15 above cap £414 below prediction £75 per fuel Direct via Co-op Energy Co-op Energy Co-op Community Power 18M Fixed September 2026 v3 18 months £1,738 £15 above cap £414 below prediction £75 per fuel Direct via Co-op Energy Source: Uswitch.com. Prices correct as of 10:00am 18 September 2026. The tariffs included within the table are the cheapest non-bundle fixed tariffs, not variable or tracker, and exclude collective, retention and loyalty tariffs. All energy tariffs and prices mentioned are subject to change without notice, and rates vary upon region. These are the cheapest tariffs available based on suppliers who have updated Uswitch with their rates. When will Ofgem announce January's cap? Ofgem won't announce January's energy price cap until the end of November.The independent energy market forecaster, Cornwall Insight, said in an update at the end of August that higher bills are here to stay, due to several pressures on demand that have caused wholesale energy prices to spike.Alongside the continuing conflict in the Middle East, these include summer heatwaves, which put more stress on gas supply as wind energy falters and more households use electricity to power air conditioning and other cooling units.Supply disruption in Norway and strong demand from Asia have also led to low gas stock levels for winter, according to Cornwall Insight.Dr Craig Lowrey, principal consultant at the forecaster, said that 'even if we saw an end to the conflict, lower stocks going into winter as demand increases mean falling bills in January is unlikely'.It's a good idea to keep an eye on the top fixed energy tariffs. We update our list of the cheapest energy deals weekly, with data from Uswitch. Smaller energy suppliers usually offer the cheapest fixes, but larger suppliers such as Eon Next and Octopus Energy often feature.