A standing charge is the fixed daily fee on a UK electricity or gas bill for being connected to the network. You pay it whether you use almost no energy or a lot. It sits alongside the unit rate (pence per kWh). On default tariffs both are constrained by the Ofgem price cap; on many time-of-use products the standing charge is set by the supplier's tariff sheet rather than by the dual-fuel "typical bill" headline alone.
What it means for a home battery
A battery changes how many day-rate kilowatt hours you buy. It does not remove the standing charge. That is why Habo's savings maths focus on the night-to-day unit-rate gap on tariffs such as Octopus Go (Go needs an EV charged at home under Smart Tariffs terms 2.1.3), not on shaving the daily fixed fee. Ofgem has also run a lower standing charge tariff pilot that trades a lower daily fee for a higher unit rate. Whether that helps a battery household is a worked question for the long guide: read energy standing charges and home batteries for the pilot detail and leave the figures there. Habo's offer is an electrician-wired EcoFlow STREAM from £2,499. Join the waitlist.
Keep an eye on UK battery prices
Leave your email for occasional updates on UK home battery prices, tariff changes and the 0% VAT deadline. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
Thanks, you're on the list.
Frequently asked questions
No. The standing charge is a fixed daily amount. The unit rate is the pence you pay (or earn) per kWh. See Habo's unit-rate glossary entry.
No. A battery can cut the kWh you import, which changes the unit-rate part of the bill, but the daily standing charge still applies while you stay connected.
Habo's energy standing charge and home battery guide covers the April 2026 pilot and when it does or does not help battery owners.
Simple battery, simple install
Electrician-wired EcoFlow STREAM from £2,499. Habo will try to serve anyone who registers in an area where we have an electrician. Nothing to pay today.
Join the waitlist