Consumers have been warned their bills could rise (Yui Mok/PA) (PA Archive)More than seven million households still on a standard energy tariff have been urged to send in meter readings to avoid paying higher prices from October 1. The energy price cap will rise by 2% from Wednesday for a typical household in England, Scotland and Wales, just as cooler temperatures see many switching on their central heating. Energy editor Emily Seymour said: “As we head into the colder weather, many households will be concerned that the energy price cap is going up by 2% this week. “There are several deals on the market for lower than the price cap, so now is a good time to shop around if you’re looking to fix. As a rule of thumb, we’d recommend looking for deals cheaper than the current price cap, not longer than 12 months and without significant exit fees.