What is the average energy bill in the UK?

We look at the average energy bill in the UK by household size and the latest statistics on energy bill payments in the UK, including how many people are worried about their bills impacting their bank account balance.

Quick overview

• The average Brit is paying £174 a month, or £2,084 a year, for their energy bills in 2023, around 9% of the average household budget.
• Brits in Yorkshire are paying the most in energy bills, at £196 a month, 13% higher than the national average.
• Residents in Northern Ireland estimate they are paying the least in energy bills, at £128 a month, 26% lower than the national average.
• Almost half of Brits (46%) are concerned about their energy bill payments for winter 2023.
• 84% of Brits plan to take extra precautions in the winter months to help reduce their energy bills.
• A third of Brits (32%) are planning not to turn the heating on even when they are cold in winter 2023.
• 2 in 5 Brits (41%) plan to turn down the thermostat or turn off radiators even when they are cold during the 2023 winter months.
• 3.26 million households (13.4%) were in fuel poverty in England in 2022.

What is the average monthly energy bill in the UK?

The average Brit is paying £174 a month, or £2,084 a year, for their energy bills in 2023, according to our recent survey. This is around 9% of the average household budget of £1,900.

From 1 October 2023, the price cap means that a typical household shouldn’t pay more than £153 a month or £1,834 a year. This is down from a previous price cap of £1,976. However, the price cap is not a hard limit, and many households are still paying over this, as our survey found.

The way you pay for your energy, such as one-off payments or direct debits, your meter type, where you live and your overall consumption, will all affect your energy bill, which is why the price cap does not guarantee your energy bill price.

What is the average energy bill by household size in 2023?

As you would expect, the average energy bill increases by household size. However, this is not a significant difference, which means that single-person households are having to shoulder large energy costs on their own.

The average monthly energy bill for a household of one person is estimated to be £162, while the average energy bill for a household of 4 or more is £184.

Our 2023 survey found that those in single-person households were the most likely to be concerned about their energy bill payments heading into winter, with 53% citing this as a worry. This is lower for households of 4 or more, where just 2 in 5 (41%) were concerned about energy bill payments.

• Energy bill by household size

What is the average energy bill by region?

Brits in Yorkshire believe they are spending the most on energy bills, at an average of £196 a month, 13% higher than the national average. They are followed by those in the East Midlands, paying £195 a month, and those in the North West, paying £192.

Meanwhile, residents in Northern Ireland estimate they are paying the least in energy bills, at £128 a month, 26% lower than the national average. The next most affordable region for energy seems to be Wales, where residents estimated they pay £151 a month on average.

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How many people are struggling with energy bills in the UK?

A 2023 Finder survey found that almost half of UK adults (46%) are concerned about paying their energy bills this winter. This concern is highest among those over 40, with 56% of baby boomers (aged 55-73) worried about paying their energy bills, followed by 53% of generation X (aged 43-54) and half (50%) of the silent generation (aged 74 and over).

So, what are Brits doing to combat this? Well, the same research found that 84% of people in the UK are planning to take extra precautions this winter to reduce their energy bills.

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Almost a third of Brits (32%) are considering not turning the heating on even when they are cold, which shows that the cost of living and energy crisis is still hitting many households hard.

What’s more, 2 in 5 UK adults (41%) are planning to turn the thermostat down or turn radiators off even if they are cold to try and save money on their energy bills.

Other popular measures that are being taken include reducing the number of baths and long showers, which 1 in 3 Brits (30%) will be doing this winter, and buying items such as blankets, heated blankets and electric heaters, which over a quarter of Brits (26%) will be doing.

23% of UK adults have stated that they plan to only use large appliances, such as washing machines, at peak times, while the same percentage intend to cut down on using these large appliances.

This is worrying but perhaps not surprising, as the UK Government reported that an estimated 3.26 million households (13.4%) were in fuel poverty in England in 2022.