Great Home calculates that the average annual dual fuel energy bill for 2019 for homes in England & Wales will be £1,339, made up of:
- Average electricity bill £714
- Average gas bill £625
For homes in Scotland the average duel fuel bill will be £1,399:
- Average electricity bill £750
- Average gas bill £649
Whilst homes in Scotland on average have a £60 higher bill, due to higher domestic energy usage, the gap with England & Wales has reduced over five years.
Tables 1 and 2 below provide detailed usage and cost information, enabling homeowners to compare average annual, monthly and daily figures with their own energy bills and smart meter readings. The figures assume the property has a mains gas connection and does not use economy 7 electric heating. Bear in mind that daily and monthly gas and electricity usage does vary by season.
Table 1: Average Energy Consumption and Cost, England & Wales
| Fuel | Annual kWh | Monthly kWh | Daily kWh | Annual cost £ | Monthly cost £ | Daily cost £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 3,500 | 292 | 10 | £713.80 | £59.48 | £1.96 |
| Gas | 13,200 | 1,100 | 36 | £624.73 | £52.06 | £1.71 |
| Total | 16,700 | 1,392 | 46 | £1,338.53 | £111.54 | £3.67 |
Table 2: Average Energy Consumption and Cost, Scotland
| Fuel | Annual kWh | Monthly kWh | Daily kWh | Annual cost £ | Monthly cost £ | Daily cost £ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 3,700 | 308 | 10 | £750.00 | £62.50 | £2.05 |
| Gas | 13,800 | 1,150 | 38 | £648.73 | £54.06 | £1.78 |
| Total | 17,500 | 1,458 | 48 | £1,398.73 | £116.56 | £3.83 |
How Can I Get More Accurate Figures For My Own Home?
Whilst these figures represent the national picture, actual energy consumption varies by individual homeowner behaviour, property location, age and size and type of property and whether the home has access to the gas grid or heats the home using economy 7 electricity. Gas and electricity usage also varies by season.
For a closer and more accurate comparison of the energy performance of your home try our online
Energy Consumption Calculator. This includes both an electricity cost calculator and a gas cost calculator for a wide range of different homes. See how your home compares.
What Are the Trends On UK Energy Bills?
Great Home finds homes are using less energy but experiencing overall higher gas bills and electricity bills due to the rise in energy prices.
On energy prices, the trend has been for rising prices. For gas this has been mainly driven by recent higher demand for gas, driven by the knock-on effect of the “Beast from the East” cold weather in the first quarter of 2018, catching a lot of energy suppliers out after relatively mild winters previously.
Over the last decade domestic energy consumption has reduced, with a 5% reduction between 2011 and 2016 in England & Wales and an impressive 10% in Scotland as the Scottish government attempt to reduce the historic higher energy use. The individual trends are shown in Chart 1 below. The latest data is for 2016 (released in 2018) and shows that reductions in domestic energy consumption have stalled, as the UK government cuts back on public investment in energy improvement measures.
Chart 1: Trends in Energy Use
Reducing Your Energy Bills
With most of the big energy suppliers already increasing electricity and gas prices in 2019, it’s worth taking a look at how your home’s energy usage compares to the average and considering what you can do to make savings.
There are two main elements to reducing fuel bills:
- Finding the best deals on gas and electricity pricing
- Reducing home energy demand
Finding the best energy deals is relatively straightforward. There are multiple energy switching and comparison sites that can help you trawl the market to find the best deals. This is a sensible thing to do but don’t neglect the greater benefits that can be achieved by reducing overall home energy consumption.
On electricity usage, switching to LED light bulbs and new appliances with low standby power demand has helped reduce usage. With more and more smart meters being installed it is easier to identify the appliances that are a major drain on power: older tv’s, broadband routers & wifi, set-top boxes and alarm systems are often culprits.
On gas usage, having a well-insulated and well-ventilated home can save you money and increase occupant comfort. It is easier to install these features in a new-build home but reductions of 70% on gas usage can be achieved with well thought out improvements (See Why Gas Boilers Could Be Banned In New Homes By 2025).
Background to How 2019 Energy Bill Figures Are Calculated
The Great Home 2019 domestic energy bills are calculated based on typical energy prices prevailing in March 2019 and using National Energy Efficiency Database (NEED) information. NEED now tracks the energy performance of 4 million homes in England & Wales and 2 million in Scotland. Data for Scotland was first published in 2018 and covers 2011 onwards. It is hoped that more a more detailed breakdown of Scottish data will be available in the next 12 months. Calculations use mean averages.
All figures assume a mains gas supply and no use of economy 7 tariff. Scottish homes are assumed to use 600 kWh more gas and 200 kWh more electricity annually than homes in England & Wales (based on recently released Scottish NEED data).
For further details see our Average Energy Consumption Calculator which combines an electricity cost calculator and gas cost calculator. The calculator also allows energy tariff’s to be adjusted to match those of a specific energy supplier.
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