What is the average energy bill in the UK?

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As homeowners and tenants, you might want to find out how much you could be paying for your gas and electricity bills.

The truth is, there are a number of elements that make up the cost of your energy, including the price of wholesale energy, network charges (getting the energy to you), levies and tax. The average cost of your electricity and gas bill also varies depending on geographical location, the size of your property and your payment method. So, how much should you expect to pay?

To help you to further understand what you could be charged, here are the average costs of utility bills* – based on a standard tariff.

Average energy bill by house size

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Small house/flat – One or two bedrooms

Using 8000kWh of gas per year, and 2000kWh of electricity

For a small family (3-4 people) living in a medium-sized house, the average monthly utility bill is £66, with an annual bill of £795, based the energy usage figures above.

Medium house – three bedrooms

Using 12,500kWh of gas per year, and 3,100kWh of electricity

For a small family (3-4 people) living in a medium-sized house, the average monthly utility bill is £97, with an annual bill of £1,163, based the energy usage figures above.

Large house – four bedrooms or more

Using 18,000kWh of gas per year, and 4,600kWh of electricity

For a large property with five or more occupants, you can expect the average monthly utility bill to be £137, which is £1,639 annually, based on the energy output figures above.

How to reduce your energy costs

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The way that energy prices operate means they fluctuate regularly. We promise to be clear about what makes up the cost of your energy bill, and how your statement is calculated. Although you may not be protected from the unpredictable landscape of energy costs, the data above should give you an idea about the current average price of gas and electricity.

If you want to find out more about how your energy bill is calculated, check out our guide to fixed and variable tariffs. It might also be an idea to read our blog about how Brexit might impact energy prices.

Another way to save money on your energy bills is to ensure you’re on the right tariff. You can compare your current tariff online with our prices to find the best option. Switching is really easy too. Just get a quote, choose your tariff, and let us do all the hard work for you.

*Average costs are accurate at the time of writing. Data sourced from UK Power.

Published on 2nd December 2019 by:

image of David Sykes

David Sykes

Head of Data Science

Hey I'm Constantine, welcome to Octopus Energy!

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