There is no national price list: each network operator and water company prices your connection, mainly on the distance to its network, the capacity you need and any road works. As one published example, NGED's guide shows about £2,500 + VAT for a single new home in its areas. Since April 2023, most demand connections no longer pay for wider electricity reinforcement.
Why is there no single price for a utility connection?
Each utility is priced by the company that owns the network: the electricity network operator, the gas network, the water and sewerage company and the broadband network. They price each job from your site, not from a list. Two homes on the same street can get very different quotes if one is next to a cable and the other needs a road crossing.
Some companies publish indicative figures. They are useful as a starting point, but they only apply to that company's area and to simple jobs. Treat any figure on this page as a guide, not a price for your site.
What does a new electricity connection cost?
The biggest factors are:
- Distance to a cable or substation with enough spare capacity
- Capacity you ask for, including heat pumps, EV chargers and three-phase
- A new substation, if the site needs one
- Road and footpath work, including reinstatement and traffic management
- Wayleaves, where cables cross land you don't own
National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED), which covers the Midlands, the South West and South Wales, publishes a pricing guide. These figures are indicative, exclude VAT, and apply to NGED's areas only. The lead time runs from acceptance and payment.
| Connection (NGED) | Quote time | Typical price | Lead time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 home | 4 working days | £2,500 | 8 weeks |
| Up to 4 homes | 8 working days | £7,000 | 8 weeks |
| Over 4 homes Based on 5, service works only | 12 working days | £15,000 | 10 weeks |
| Small business, up to 69 kVA | 8 working days | £6,000 | 8 weeks |
| Domestic service alteration, underground | 4 working days | £2,600 | 6 weeks |
| Large business (HV) | 30 working days | On request | 20+ weeks |
| EHV | 60 working days | On request | 2+ years |
Source: NGED connections pricing guide, read November 2026. Other network operators publish different figures, and reinforcement, wayleaves, highway permits and substations make projects longer.
On developments and commercial sites, much of the work is contestable. Accredited independent connection providers (ICPs) can quote for it alongside the network operator, which can bring the price or the programme down. Our DNO, IDNO and ICP guide explains how that works.
Who pays for electricity network reinforcement?
Since 1 April 2023, demand connections in Great Britain are charged on a "shallow" basis. You pay for the extension assets, meaning the new cables and equipment that connect your site to the existing network. The cost of reinforcing the wider network is recovered through network charges that everyone pays.
There are two main exceptions:
- The High Cost Cap. Where reinforcement costs go over £1,720 per kVA, you still pay a contribution.
- Sole-use assets. Equipment built only for your site, such as a dedicated substation, can still be charged to you.
Generation connections, such as larger solar or battery schemes, are treated differently. They pay for extension assets plus a contribution to reinforcement at the voltage they connect at. We check that every electricity offer applies these rules correctly, because a reinforcement line on a demand quote is worth questioning.
Design fees and how long quotes last
Assessment and design (A&D) fees. Since 2018, electricity network operators can charge for the cost of preparing a connection offer, whether or not you accept it. When the fee is charged varies by operator and by scheme. NGED, for example, charges A&D fees on issue for all high-voltage and higher quotations from 1 February 2026. Each operator sets out its rules in its charging statement. This is one reason not to send in several speculative applications for the same site.
Quote validity. Each operator sets its own period, and it is stated in the offer letter. 90 days is common for electricity. Northern Powergrid's quotations, for example, are valid for 90 days. Cadent asks for gas quotes to be accepted and paid within 90 days. If an offer expires, you may need to apply again, and the price can change.
What does a new gas connection cost?
Gas networks quote case by case. The main factors are the length of the service pipe, whether a new main is needed to reach the site, road crossings and the size of the load. Standard quotes for loads up to 275 kWh/h should arrive within 4 working days, and larger or non-standard jobs take longer.
On new homes in England, the question is often whether you need gas at all. Homes built to the Future Homes Standard, in force from 24 March 2027, won't need a gas connection for heating. Leaving gas out saves the connection cost, but the electricity supply usually needs to be bigger. Read our Future Homes Standard guide.
What do water and sewer connections cost?
In England, water connection charges follow Ofwat's charging rules for new connection services, which apply from 1 April 2026. Each company publishes its charges every year in its Charging Arrangements, with fixed charges where possible. A typical new connection is made up of:
- A connection charge for the work to connect your supply pipe to the main
- Infrastructure charges per connection, towards the wider network
- Mains charges, if a new main is needed to reach the site
- Sewer connection and adoption fees, for Section 106 connections and Section 104 adoption
Infrastructure charges and discounts
Infrastructure charges pay for reinforcing the water network over rolling five-year periods. They can vary by area. As one example, Affinity Water's infrastructure charge for 2026/27 is £615. The rules also say:
- Charges must be reduced for previous use of the site in the last five years, which matters on replacement homes and redevelopments.
- They must not pay for fixing existing capacity shortfalls.
- No income offset is allowed for agreements made from April 2025.
- Every English company must offer environmental incentives: discounts or payments for water efficiency or sustainable drainage. The amounts and conditions differ by company.
Pre-development enquiries and self-lay
A pre-development enquiry asks the water company whether there is capacity before you apply. It isn't a legal requirement, but large companies encourage it. Anglian Water's fee for 2025/26 is £741 for water and wastewater. Thames Water also charges a fee and replies in about three weeks.
On developments, a self-lay provider can build the mains for adoption. Under the April 2026 rules, water companies must not make asset payments for adopting self-laid mains, Section 104 sewers, communication pipes or lateral drains. Ignore older marketing that promises them.
Welsh water companies follow Ofwat's separate rules for Wales, and Scottish Water has its own charging scheme, so the details differ there.
What does broadband cost for a new home?
Openreach provides full fibre free on sites of 20 or more premises. Sites of 1 to 19 premises pay a contribution under its rate card. Plots that connect to copper instead are charged £2,500 per plot. Details are on Openreach's developer pages.
In England, Part R of the Building Regulations requires a gigabit-capable connection for new homes, subject to a cost cap of £2,000 per home. Network operator contributions count towards the cap. Above it, the next fastest connection within the cap is installed instead.
What drives the cost of each utility?
| Utility | Main cost drivers | Published example |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity | Distance to the network, capacity, substations, road works, wayleaves, A&D fees | NGED: about £2,500 + VAT for one home (indicative) |
| Gas | Service length, main extensions, road crossings, load | Quoted case by case |
| Water | Distance to a main, new mains, infrastructure charges, road works | Affinity Water: £615 infrastructure charge, 2026/27 |
| Water capacity check | Optional pre-development enquiry | Anglian Water: £741 for water and wastewater, 2025/26 |
| Sewer | Distance to a public sewer, depth, road works, adoption, build-over agreements | Set in each company's charging arrangements |
| Broadband | Number of homes, distance to the network, fibre or copper | Openreach: free at 20+ premises, £2,500 per plot on copper |
All figures are indicative and apply only to the company named. Your own quotes will depend on your site.
How can you keep connection costs down?
- Get the load right first. Ask for what you need, including heat pumps and EV chargers, and no more. Oversizing can mean sole-use assets you pay for.
- Apply early. An offer that expires while you wait for funding or a start date may have to be requested again.
- Get more than one offer where you can. Contestable electricity, gas and water work can be quoted by accredited independent providers as well as the incumbent.
- Line up the utilities. A shared trench and one set of drawings avoid digging twice and paying for redesigns.
- Ask what your groundworker can do. Some operators let your own contractor dig and duct on your land, to their specification.
- Claim the discounts. Check the previous-use reduction on water infrastructure charges, and any environmental incentives for water efficiency or sustainable drainage.
- Check every offer. Look for reinforcement charges on demand connections, missing items and exclusions that will come back later as extras.
- Avoid building over sewers by accident. Building over or within 3 metres of a public sewer usually needs a build-over agreement. Finding out late can mean redesigns.
How does our fee work?
Our fee for managing your applications is separate from the operators' charges. It is agreed and fixed before we start, and our quote is free and no-obligation. You pay the operators' connection charges to them directly, so you can see exactly what each one charges. See how our process works.