Fixed vs variable tariffs for heat pump owners: which gives a lower bill in 2026?
Most fixed vs variable comparisons assume a typical household with flat usage. Heat pump owners are not typical — they use two to three times more electricity than average, most of it in winter, and a significant share is shiftable to off-peak windows. That changes the calculation considerably. A flat fixed rate competes not with the standard cap, but with the effective blended rate you'd actually achieve on a time-of-use tariff.
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Ashley