The average household is expected to pay approximately £240 more per year for their energy bills from 2022, new research has revealed.
Due to increasing wholesale costs, prices have risen in recent years. Many suppliers are now facing collapse.
As a result, bills could rise by £240 in 2022 for a typical three-bedroom, gas-heated home, with this household projected to spend a total £1,360 on energy, according to research from the Energy Saving Trust.
People could experience a dramatic rise in heating bills due to an increase of the energy price cap.
The average home is expected to pay roughly £240 more a year for their bills from 2022
Energy Saving Trust provides 12 tips that will help individuals to reduce their carbon footprint and save money.
You can also take your device off-line, make sure you have draughtproofing in place and keep your shower time under four minutes.
Households who take the below actions could save up to £248 on their energy bills – reducing the impact of the projected increase in energy costs on people’s pockets, without compromising their health or wellbeing.
Home energy consumption is approximately 3,300kgCO2e/year. But, following the steps below would result in 674kg less carbon dioxide being released from a typical home.
These measures could be used to help the planet, and lower the home’s carbon footprint of energy by up to 20%.
To put the saving in perspective, 674kg of CO2 is the same as driving 2,400 miles – that’s driving from London to Bristol 20 times.
Ofgem increased the energy price cap by £139 a year at the start of October 2021 and is expected to increase it again in April 2022.
| Easy energy-saving steps that every household can take | Cost savings annually | Carbon dioxide reductions annually | Carbon equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Reset devices in the home to standby or into idle mode | £40 | 50kg CO2 | Driving from Manchester to Newcastle: 180 Miles |
| 2. Use foam strips or plastic seals to seal cracks around doors, windows and floors. You can also seal the gaps between floorboards and skirting boards using simple sealants that you can buy at any DIY store. | £30 | 105kg CO2 | Driving distance: 380 mi from Exeter to Hull |
| 3. If you are leaving a space, make sure to turn the lights off | £14 | 17kg CO2 | Driving from Edinburgh to Glasgow – 61 Miles |
| 4. You can use your washing machine at a lower temperature on a 30-degree cycle. | £10 | 12 kg CO2 | Driving from Edinburgh to Glasgow 43 Miles |
| 5. Make sure you boil only what water is needed in the kettle | £8 | 10 kg CO2 | Driving 36 Miles |
| 6. It is crucial to insulate your hot water tank effectively. Even if you are using thin spray foam, or loose 25mm jackets, it can still be beneficial to use a British Standard Jacket 80mm thickness. | £20 | 110 kg CO2 | Driving 390 Miles from Birmingham to Atlanta |
| 7. Limit your time in the shower to four minutes | £45 | 135 kg CO2 | Driving 700 miles from Birmingham to Birmingham, and back |
| 8. A 4-minute shower is all you need to swap one week-long bath for a 4 minute soak | £7 | 35kg CO2 | London to Bristol: 120 Miles |
| 9. You can add an aerator on your current kitchen tap and reduce the water that comes out, but it won’t affect its effectiveness. The aerator, a tiny device with small holes, attaches to your tap’s spout and is easy to set up. | £14 | 65 kg CO2 | Drive 230 Miles from London to Bristol, and then back |
| 10. Reduce the water usage by only running your dishwasher after it has filled up. You could potentially save money by reducing the dishwasher’s run time one week per year. | £10 | 12 kg CO2 | Driving from Edinburgh to Glasgow 43 Miles |
| 11. You should also limit the amount of laundry you wash in your washing machine to a single load. You could potentially save money by reducing your washing machine usage by just one wash per week over a period of one year. | £10 | 13 kg CO2 | Driving from Edinburgh to Glasgow 47 Miles |
| 12. Avoid using a tumble dryer for your clothes: dry clothes on racks inside where possible or outside in warmer weather. | £40 | 50kg CO2 | Driving from Manchester to Newcastle: 180 Miles |
| Energy Saving Trust |
This will affect around 15million people – meaning that unless people’s energy supply is currently on a fixed tariff, their energy costs will be more expensive.
Bulb, the provider of household supplies, has also been forced into special administration due to sharply rising wholesale prices. 23 household suppliers are now insolvent.
Mike Thornton (CEO of Energy Saving Trust) stated: “Rising energy prices are understandably causing concern to people across the UK. With households potentially facing the highest energy bills in record time this winter,
“But, the great news is that we can reduce our energy costs by making small changes around our houses.
“Aside from protecting the pockets of people, small steps taken to cut down on energy consumption can also protect the environment by reducing carbon emissions.
Customers who are worried about paying their energy bill are encouraged to contact their supplier to access available support – and to check their eligibility for the Warm Home Discount Scheme, which offers a one-off payment to help meet heating costs.
Energy Saving Trust compares the projected price for 2022 to that of 2020 using the 3-year average energy cost between 2018 and 2020
The figures below are representative of a 3-bedroom semi-detached home with an average gas and electricity cost of 2.65p/kWh.
Calculations assume an average annual gas consumption of 13.768 kWh, and an annual electricity consumption of 3,586kWh.