New research by Compare Boiler Quotes has used the latest statistics from the Scottish Government’s Energy Statistics Hub to analyse electricity and gas costs from every local authority across Scotland, to identify the areas with the most and least expensive bills.
Their findings discovered that Argyll and Bute has the highest energy bills in Scotland and will be worst affected by the 54 per cent price hike, set to hit millions of homes across the country from Friday, April 1.
Households in Argyll and Bute pay an average of £1,842 per year in total for gas and electricity bills, which is £729 more than the average energy user living in Glasgow where combined annual bills are £1,113.
Na Eilean Siar (Western Isles) has the second highest energy bills out of all the local authorities in Scotland, with energy customers paying an average of £1,754 every year.
On average, Scots are paying £1,362 in total for their annual energy bills.
This includes:
- Gas - £576
- Electricity - £785
Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson for Compare Boiler Quotes said: “Energy bills are already sky-high and with bills soaring by a predicted £700 in the next few days, it is concerning to see the stark regional differences in energy bills across Scotland.
“In some areas, residents are paying over £700 a year on more on energy than the cheapest places, and it seems to be the more rural and remote areas such as Eilean Siar and Argyll and Bute which are suffering most. It is those homes which are least energy efficient that will suffer the most from rising bills, as escaping heat will mean that your heating system works harder to compensate for the lack of warmth, costing you more.”
The spokesperson added: “The government is advocating heat pumps as a solution to soaring energy bills, but these will not be effective without proper floor insulation - which 65 per cent of homes in the UK currently lack. While households can use some hacks to insulate their homes better, for example, buying inexpensive pipe insulation from a DIY store, unless something serious is done about the energy crisis, we will see many more households driven into poverty.”
Most expensive energy bills in Scotland
Total price shows combined gas and electricity prices per year for the average user.
- Argyll & Bute - £1,1842.06
- Eilean Siar (Western Isles) - £1,754.80
- Highland - £1,711.91
- Aberdeenshire - £1,580.49
- Perth and Kinross - £1,557.89
- East Renfrewshire - £1,459.41
- Stirling - £1,455.59
- Moray - £1,431.44
- Angus - £1,422.56
- Dumfries and Galloway: £1,413.32
- Scottish Borders - £1,410.01
- East Dunbartonshire - £1,406.96
- South Lanarkshire - £1,336.99
- East Lothian - £1,333.07
- South Ayrshire - £1,308.58
- Dundee City - £1,295.87
- Falkirk - £1,277.13
- West Lothian - £1,268.85
- Fife - £1,266.35
- Aberdeen City - £1,266.07
- North Ayrshire - £1,254.28
- Midlothian - £1,241.35
- North Lanarkshire - £1,240.60
- Inverclyde - £1,238.02
- Clackmannanshire - £1,231.15
- East Ayrshire - £1,225.14
- Edinburgh - £1,219.20
- Renfrewshire - £1,180.34
- West Dunbartonshire - £1,127.64
- Glasgow City - £1,113.39
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