Flexible Octopus: the standard variable tariff
One rate, tracking the price cap · Electricity
Flexible Octopus is the default tariff — one unit rate, one standing charge, priced at or below Ofgem's cap and changing when the cap changes.
Flexible Octopus in London right now
- Unit rate now
- 26.60p/kWh
- Standing charge
- 41.39p/day
- Cheapest today
- 26.60p/kWh
- Dearest today
- 26.60p/kWh
- Tariff code
- E-1R-VAR-22-11-01-C
Prices include VAT and are for London (region C). Change region · Full half-hourly view
What "variable" means here
Flexible is a standard variable tariff, so its price is limited by the energy price cap, which Ofgem resets every three months. It has no exit fee and no fixed term: you can leave whenever you like, and the price can change with 30 days' notice.
Being capped is not the same as being cheap. The cap is a ceiling on the average bill, not a target, and fixed deals or a time-of-use tariff have both regularly beaten it. What it does buy is that you cannot be badly stung.
Who should stay on it
Flexible is the sensible default for a household that cannot or does not want to move usage around: no smart meter, no EV, no heat pump, no battery, evenings busy. Everything smarter than it demands something in return.
It is also the right baseline for comparison. When the compare page prices your readings against every tariff, Flexible is the "do nothing" row — anything that cannot beat it is not worth the switch.
Common questions
Does Flexible Octopus have an exit fee?
No. Flexible is a variable tariff with no fixed term and no exit fee, so you can switch away at any time.
Is Flexible Octopus capped?
Yes. As a standard variable tariff it is limited by Ofgem's price cap, which is reset every three months.
Which tariff is cheapest for you? Headline rates cannot answer that. Connect your Octopus account and halfhourly.uk prices your last 28 days of real half-hourly readings against every tariff's real rates, standing charge included.