Gas and electricity bills are unavoidable as they are vital to keeping your home up and running. Managing your average household energy usage is essential to save on your energy bills.
There are so many domestic appliances such as TVs, 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 to manage your average energy consumption. For more help on reducing your average household energy usage, check out our useful guide for energy saving tips.
How much electricity per kWh does the average home use in the UK?
Let’s start with the basics, it is important to understand how energy is measured. Energy is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh) and a kilowatt is 1,000 watts. A kilowatt hour equals the same amount of energy you would use if you had a 1,000-watt appliance running for an hour. For example, a 1,000-watt electric radiator turned on for one hour would use 1,000 watts equivalent to 1kWh.
Have you wondered how many kWh your appliances use? Other appliances will take longer than an hour to consume 1kWh as it depends on the watts. For example, for a 200-watt appliance to use 1kWh, it would take 5 hours.
What is a typical household’s electricity usage?
Ofgem, the UK’s energy regulator, has produced the following typical domestic consumption values (TDCVs) for 2024. These estimates show how much electricity a UK home uses in average a year.
According to Ofgem, The average annual usage for a medium-sized household is:
- Electricity: 2,900kWh per annum
- Gas: 12,000kWh per annum
The Energy Price Cap set by the government aims to restrict the combined energy expenses of an average household to £1,690, as per the provided usage projections. Your annual payment will vary based on your electricity and gas consumption, as well as your payment method, such as direct debit.
What is the average electricity usage per day in the UK?
The average household energy usage uk 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.
What appliance uses the most electricity in the house?
Ever wondered what the average household electricity consumption is based on each appliance? We have detailed the most common culprits and questions to ask 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
The size and surface area of your home 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 home 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, 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.
How to reduce your average household energy usage
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 don’t already, you should buy and install LED bulbs throughout your home, and these will use a lot less electricity in comparison to traditional bulbs that use the most electricity.
Still wondering how you can save money on your average household energy usage? Get in touch with one of our energy experts today to find out more.
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