What is an average household’s energy usage?

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    Guide Author

    James Longley

    Managing Director

    min read

    Gas and electricity bills are unavoidable as they are vital to keeping your home up and running. This is the same for businesses which is why managing your average energy usage is essential to save on your energy bills.

    There are so many domestic appliances such as TV’s, kettles, toasters, dishwashers, and fridge freezers that can waste energy by being left on standby. Smart meters allow homeowners to track how much they are spending and their average consumption. This also helps homeowners reduce their average energy consumption which also has a positive impact on climate change and net zero.

    An increasing amount of people are deciding to lower their carbon footprint which is why it is increasingly more important manage your average energy consumption. For more help on reducing your energy usage, check out our useful guide for energy saving tips.

    What is a typical household’s electricity usage?

    Ofgem, the UK’s energy regulator, has produced the following typical domestic consumption values (TDCVs)for 2020. These estimates show how much electricity a UK home uses in average a year.

    As you can see from the table below, the data is divided into 2 profiles. There are, in fact, 9 profiles in total – but only the first 2 relate to domestic use. Profile 1 is Domestic Unrestricted, which most homes fall under. And Profile 2 covers Domestic Economy 7. Economy 7 users have a lower off-peak rate at night, when they pay less for their electricity.

    Household electricity meter

    What is the average electricity usage per day in the UK?

    The average UK household will use between 8.5kWh and 10 kWh of energy. This is only a guideline figure as there are many influencing factors that affect this figure. The factors include what appliances you own, how much energy they use, how long they are left switched on for and much more.

    The cost of energy is constantly fluctuating due to the volatility of the current energy market.

    Business energy meter

    What appliance uses the most electricity in the house?

    Ever wondered what the average household electricity consumption is based on each appliance? This is a commonly asked question that we have detailed below:

    How much electricity does a TV use?

    A 55-inch smart TV uses roughly one unit of electricity to power around 12 hours of viewing which equals about 2 pence per hour.

    How much electricity does a dishwasher use?

    Dishwashers only contribute to about 2% of your whole average energy bill. It completely depends on what model appliance is being used but an A+++ dishwasher can cost approximately £23 annually to run whereas B+ dishwashers can cost about £43 to run.

    How much electricity does a fridge freezer use?

    A fridge freezer is a common household item which is a necessity and the larger it is the more energy it will use. A fridge freezer can take up to 8% of your electricity bill. An A rated fridge freezer can cost roughly £39 annually and a larger 525L model can take this cost to £50.

    How much electricity does an oven use?

    Ovens can contribute to up to 3% of a homeowner’s energy bill. Ovens are another household item which can be expensive but is a necessity. A 3.3kw oven can cost homeowners up to £90 annually when used for an average of 30 minutes a day.

    How much electricity does a tumble dryer or washing machines use?

    A tumble dryer is commonly known as a more costly home appliance that can contribute to up to 13% of your energy bill. It is estimated that the annual cost of running a tumble dyer is £85. You can save on your electricity bill by letting your washing dry on the line rather than using a tumble dryer during the summer months.

    How much electricity does light and heating use?

    Heating systems can use up to 27% of your electricity bills with water heaters taking up to 14% more than this. In addition to this, lighting can use up to 12% of a homeowner’s electricity bills. Although this is a necessary cost as it is important your home is the right temperature. Even making small changes to save energy can have a big impact on your electricity bills.

    How much electricity do other appliances use?

    It is best practice to fill your kettle with a few cups of water to help cut the cost of using a kettle within the home. Boiling a kettle for 10 minutes per day can cost you up to £30 a year. Other appliances such as a desktop computer can contribute an additional £15 a year when used every day. Having a tablet or laptop is considered far more energy efficient so it is worth switching to save on your household bills.

    The factors affecting your average electricity consumption

    The size of your home or business

    The size and surface area of your home or business is one of the biggest factors that will affect your average energy consumption. Each premises will have a different number of rooms and different heating and lighting requirements. The bigger your property, the more energy you will use.

    The amount of energy your devices use

    There will be a huge number of devices that are used every single day. If these devices are constantly left on standby, they will all be adding to your electricity bills. Devices such as heating, laptops, lighting, and kitchen appliances are all necessities that add to your bills.

    Insulation

    If you are looking to save on your average electricity consumption, insulating your business will improve energy efficiency. This is a long-term investment that will save you money in the long run.

    Construction date

    The age of your home will also reflect how energy efficient it will likely be. The older your home is, the more electricity you will use which will have a knock-on effect on your average consumption.

    Your lifestyle

    One of the biggest factors that will affect your average energy consumption will be your lifestyle. How much power you use day to day will have a long-term effect on your average energy consumption.

    The people around you

    This is quite an obvious factor but the more people surrounding you in your home or business, the higher your energy consumption will be.

    Meter type

    The type of meter you have will also influence your consumption. Newer smart meters automatically tell your energy suppliers your usage based on your actual consumption. This means you will be paying an accurate amount for the energy you are using. Whereas older electricity and gas meters do not work in the same way and are not as accurate which will influence how much you pay for your energy.

    Ways to reduce your average energy consumption

    Average temperature

    Keeping your home at the lower temperature of 19 degrees will help bring down the cost of heating your home. Setting your air conditioning to 19 degrees should still be a comfortable temperature and turning down the thermostat just slightly can really help reduce your heating bills.

    Eco Mode

    Switch your average household appliances to eco mode to limit their power usage and bring down your electricity consumption. This is also something to bare this in mind when buying new appliances.

    Switch off

    Always remember to turn off devices that use electricity rather than left on standby mode when they aren’t being used otherwise you will be wasting costly energy when you could be saving money.

    LED technology

    If you dont already, you should buy and install LED bulbs throughout your home or business, and these will use a lot less electricity in comparison to traditional bulbs that use the most electricity.

    Still wondering how can save money on your electricity consumption. Get in touch with one of our energy experts today to find out more.

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    Now please select a utility I want to get prices for...
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    How much do you spend & how often?

    An estimate is fine if you don't have a bill to hand

    Go Back
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    Let’s save time, can we automatically gather meter information?

    ? What does this mean?
    To get your quotes at lightening speed we need several key pieces of information which can all be found on your electricity bill. But by simply ticking this box, we can search ‘industry held data’ to get your meter number, electricity consumption and current energy supplier. This means that we can get you quick quotes without asking you to dig out all of your paperwork. This is personal data therefore we need you to allow us to access this information.
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    Does your meter number end in any of the following?

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