Gas and electricity bills for around 22 million households across the UK shot up by £693 per year on April 1 in-line with Ofgem’s 54 per cent increase to the energy price cap.
This means the average household energy bill will rocket to around £1,971 per year while homes on pre-payment meters will see costs go up by £708 to £2,017.
While nothing can be done to reduce the costs charged by your energy supplier, according to the BBC, British Gas research indicates that households across the UK are spending £3.16billion annually leaving devices and appliances on standby - some £147 each year for the average household.
These so-called ‘vampire devices’ are electronics that continue to drain power when left on standby, but this money could easily be saved, just by flicking a switch.
While it may be convenient to leave broadband routers, Smart TVs, games consoles and Alexa-enabled devices switched on, switching them off could be a simple way to save some cash.
Top vampire devices and how much they cost on average every year
- TV: £24.61
- Satellite/set-top box: £23.10
-
Microwave: £16.37
-
Games console: £12.17
-
Computer: £11.22
-
Shower: £9.80
-
Washing machine: £4.73
-
Printer: £3.81
-
Phone charger: £1.26
British Gas energy expert Marc Robson recommends adding devices to an extension lead that can be switched off at night - or using smart plugs.
Marc said: "There are smart plugs you can buy which will let you check everything is turned off from your phone.
"At night, or when not in use, try switching off devices at the mains rather than switching to standby, as even the standby light on a television uses energy.
"Try not to overcharge your mobile phone and laptop unnecessarily.
"As soon as your device is charged, try and get into the habit of unplugging it.
"Not only will this save energy but it also prolongs battery life.
"A smart meter's in-home display can help to identify how much energy is used at different times of the day, so you can see where energy is wasted."
Top tips to limit vampire appliances sucking up unnecessary energy
Last year, British Gas shared five top tips to prevent unnecessary costs, which are even more relevant in these testing times.
-
At night, or when not in use, try switching off devices at the mains rather than switching to standby. Even better, next time you buy a new product, select one that is listed as having low standby power usage.
-
Add all electronics (computer, gaming console, Sky box, TV) to an extension lead and switch that off at night, this saves you the effort of turning them all off individually.
-
Turn lights off when you leave a room. Energy efficient lightbulbs will help with even further savings and you could save up to £40 a year.
-
Use a smart thermostat to help keep your room temperature as low as possible for as long as possible to avoid using the heating when you might not need it. You could also save up to £75 for smart thermostat and £60 by reducing temperature by 1 degree.
-
Timing is everything - don’t leave chargers plugged into your devices once it’s fully charged, don’t fill the kettle if you’re only making one cup of tea and wait until the dishwasher and washing machine are full before putting them on.
To keep up to date with the energy crisis, join our Money Saving Scotland Facebook group here, follow Record Money on Twitter here, or subscribe to our twice weekly newsletter here.
