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Read more…UK’s energy statistics
Discover the latest statistics on how Brits are using energy.
Brits have been mining oil since 1851, and now each day the UK’s 120 onshore oil and gas sites produce 20,000-25,000 barrels of oil. In addition to oil, the UK is a big producer of coal, which we use for generating power. When the coal plant in South Wales closes in 2020, there will only be 4 coal plants left in the UK. Coal is environmentally unfriendly, it’s very important that we find ways to produce energy from environmentally friendly resources to keep up with our energy demands.
In fact, the UK is the third biggest energy consumer in Europe with only France and Germany using more energy than us. We spend on average more than £1,100 per household on energy every year, but more than 18 million Brits don’t understand their energy tariff or compare providers often enough to realise the money they could be saving money. We unpacked the latest statistics to find out more about energy bills in the UK.
Quick overview
- On average we spend over £1,100 per year on energy bills (gas and electricity).
- We spend 4% of our annual income on our energy bills, 0.4% less than in 2015/16.
- Switching could save Brits on average £320 a year.
- 34% of Brits have never switched energy provider.
- While 1 in 4 Brits have only switched energy providers once.
£320
Is how much Brits could be saving each year by switching energy provider.
From where do we get our energy?
The amount of energy we produce from coal is very low because of the carbon tax. This tax was put in place to prevent people from using coal as an energy source because of how environmentally unfriendly it is. The most environmentally friendly way to source energy is through harnessing wind and solar power or via biofuels and waste and converting it into energy. Lately, the UK has been working towards being less dependent on coal based energy and the government is aiming to close down the remaining coal fired power-plants by 2025.
| Source | Percentage of our energy use |
|---|---|
| Gas | 29.50% |
| Coal | 22.80% |
| Nuclear power | 20.80% |
| Wind and solar | 14.20% |
| Biofuels and waste | 9.50% |
| Hydro power | 2.60% |
| Oil | 0.50% |
The price difference is quite big, and unfortunately the most affordable option for the Brits is still gas.
| Fuel | Price per kWh (in pence) |
|---|---|
| Main gas standard rate | 4.18 |
| Wind power | 8.53 |
| Solar energy | 9.0 |
| Electricity standard rate | 20.6 |
| Pellets | 26.75 |
| Coal | 31.09 |
| Petroleum gas | 41.77 |
| Gas oil | 63.57 |
How much are we paying?
No-one likes to be paying more for something than they need to, but the truth is many of us are doing just that with our energy bills. We looked into how much we are spending each year – and how much we could be saving.
- We pay on average £1,117 a year for our electricity and gas bills combined.
- This takes up 4% of the average Brit’s income.
- Research from regulator Ofgem shows switching supplier or energy tariff can save around £320.
- 34% of Brits have never switched energy provider.
27%
Of Brits have only ever switched energy providers once.
Who is paying the most?
If we all used the same amount of electricity which region would be paying the most? Figures from Gov.uk show the average cost of electricity and gas for each region in the UK, based on consumption of 15,000 kWh/year of gas and 3,800 kWh/year of electricity. So who is paying the most?
Across all regions, the average cost of gas and electricity was £1,325, but those in Yorkshire get the best rates coming in at £1,281. While those in the South East would pay the most based on the same consumption at £1,379, almost £100 more.
- The average cost of energy bills based on these assumptions is £1,325.
- The region that would spend the most is the South West, at £1,379.
- Whereas the region that would spend the least is Yorkshire, at £1,281.
- London is the most expensive region for gas at £676.
- While North Scotland is the most expensive for electricity, coming in at £718.
| Region | Gas | Electricity |
|---|---|---|
| East Midlands | £632 | £652 |
| Eastern | £644 | £668 |
| London | £676 | £677 |
| Merseyside & North Wales | £646 | £699 |
| North East | £623 | £666 |
| North Scotland | £645 | £718 |
| North West | £638 | £663 |
| South East | £661 | £689 |
| South Scotland | £640 | £665 |
| South Wales | £645 | £692 |
| South West | £662 | £717 |
| Southern | £665 | £672 |
| West Midlands | £640 | £670 |
| Yorkshire | £624 | £657 |
Are energy prices rising?
Rising energy prices are a growing concern for Brits and can really pull on the purse strings. So have prices been rising in Britain?
Gas prices saw a steep and steady rise in price up until 2014, where prices have now began to settle at just under £600, the average gas bill is £7 more expensive than in 2017 but still £150 cheaper than it was in 2014. Electricity prices have remained relatively stable in comparison but have been steadily increasing and are now higher than any time in the last 7 years, up to £610 in 2018.
| Year | Average gas bill | Average electricity bill |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | £578 | £503 |
| 2011 | £629 | £526 |
| 2012 | £703 | £546 |
| 2013 | £731 | £569 |
| 2014 | £741 | £575 |
| 2015 | £697 | £562 |
| 2016 | £616 | £555 |
| 2017 | £584 | £581 |
| 2018 | £591 | £610 |
Switching energy provider
79% of all energy provided in the UK comes from 6 different providers. As they have such a big share of the market, they’re called “Big Six”.
| Provider | Customers | Percentage market share |
|---|---|---|
| British Gas (Centrica) | 17 million households | 34.69% |
| SSE | 9 million households | 18.37% |
| E.ON | 7 million households | 14.29% |
| EDF Energy | 6 million households | 12.24% |
| npower | 5 million households | 10.20% |
| ScottishPower | 5 million households | 10.20% |
Ofgem reports show that switching energy provider can save you £320 yet our finder survey shows that more than 50% of Brits haven’t switched providers in the last 3 years. About a fifth of us (20.9%) have changed our energy provider during the last 1-2 years, and even more, 22.6% haven’t changed provider in over a decade.
| Years since switching | Percentage |
|---|---|
| 1-2 years ago | 20.88% |
| 3-5 years ago | 17.58% |
| 5-10 years ago | 11.82% |
| In the last 12 months | 27.18% |
| Over 10 years ago | 22.55% |
Why aren’t we switching providers?
Over 60% of Brits have changed energy providers one time or less, so what is stopping us from switching providers? In 2018 survey, 65% of respondents reported risks associated with switching, with the most common risk being that costs might go up. Explore the graphic below to find the 5 most common reasons Brits aren’t switching.
Top five perceived risks of switching energy supplier
| Reason | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Costs might go up | 26% |
| Might not save as much money as they thought | 18% |
| Double/shock billing (being billed by both suppliers) | 15% |
| Something might go wrong and they might get cut off | 11% |
| Supplier they switch to might go bust | 6% |
Sources used
- Ofgem
- Gov.uk
- Finder
- Open Access Government
- Nottenergy
- Renewableenergyhub
Click here for more research. For all media enquiries, please contact:
Matt Mckenna
UK Communications Manager
T: +44 20 8191 8806
UK Communications Manager
T: +44 20 8191 8806
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