What is the average energy bill in Great Britain?
Do you know how much energy your home uses? Your gas and electricity bills depend on your lifestyle, the size of your home and how many people you live with.
1st July 2025
Your average gas and electric bill by house size and usage
Energy prices go up and down, and no one can predict future rates with certainty. Your gas and electricity bill could be higher or lower than the average depending on how much you use. If you’re not on a fixed rate, prices will vary.
Having a rough idea of average costs based on typical domestic usage may help you to keep track of your bills and compare prices with other energy providers. Unit rates and charges vary by region across the UK and by how you pay.
Average energy use for British households
According to Ofgem, the average British household has 2-3 people living in it and uses 2,700 kWh of electricity and 11,500 kWh of gas per year.
This works out at 242 kWh of electricity and 1,000 kWh of gas per month for dual fuel customers. If your home is electric only, you’d expect your electric usage to be higher.
What’s the average gas and electric bill by house size? 1
| Gas and electricity usage | Average annual consumption | Direct Debit | Pay On Receipt | PAYG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low (flat or 1-bedroom house / 1-2 people) | Gas: 7,500 kWh Elec: 1,800 kWh | £1,234.54 | £1,343.24 | £1,203.29 |
| Medium (3-bedroom house / 2-3 people) | Gas: 11,500 kWh Elec: 2,700 kWh | £1,719.45 | £1,854.86 | £1,672.05 |
| High (5-bedroom house / 4-5 people) | Gas: 17,500 kWh Elec: 4,100 kWh | £2,428.01 | £2,602.49 | £2,357.07 |
| Gas and electricity usage | Average annual consumption | Direct Debit | Pay On Receipt | PAYG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low (flat or 1-bedroom house / 1-2 people) | Gas: 7,500 kWh Elec: 1,800 kWh | £102.88 | £111.94 | £100.27 |
| Medium (3-bedroom house / 2-3 people) | Gas: 11,500 kWh Elec: 2,700 kWh | £143.29 | £154.57 | £139.34 |
| High (5-bedroom house / 4-5 people) | Gas: 17,500 kWh Elec: 4,100 kWh | £202.33 | £216.87 | £196.42 |
*Based on the January 2025 price cap rates and customer with typical gas and electric usage, paying by Direct Debit. Rates and standing charges are averages and will vary by region, payment method and meter type. Rates are effective from 1st January 2025.
What’s the average bill spend for electricity? 1
| Gas and electricity usage | Average annual consumption | Direct Debit | Pay On Receipt | PAYG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low (flat or 1-bedroom house / 1-2 people) | 1,800 kWh | £650.69 | £705.46 | £635.91 |
| Medium (3-bedroom house / 2-3 people) | 2,700 kWh | £882.28 | £950.07 | £860.12 |
| High (5-bedroom house / 4-5 people) | 4,100 kWh | £1,242.53 | £1,330.56 | £1,208.88 |
| Gas and electricity usage | Average annual consumption | Direct Debit | Pay On Receipt | PAYG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low (flat or 1-bedroom house / 1-2 people) | 1,800 kWh | £54.22 | £58.79 | £52.99 |
| Medium (3-bedroom house / 2-3 people) | 2,700 kWh | £73.52 | £79.17 | £71.68 |
| High (5-bedroom house / 4-5 people) | 4,100 kWh | £103.54 | £110.88 | £100.74 |
*Based on the January 2025 price cap rates and customer with typical gas and electric usage, paying by Direct Debit. Rates and standing charges are averages and will vary by region, payment method and meter type. Rates are effective from 1st January 2025.
What’s the average bill spend for gas? 1
| Gas and electricity usage | Average annual consumption | Direct Debit | Pay On Receipt | PAYG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low (flat or 1-bedroom house / 1-2 people) | 7,500 kWh | £583.84 | £637.78 | £567.38 |
| Medium (3-bedroom house / 2-3 people) | 11,500 kWh | £837.17 | £904.79 | £811.93 |
| High (5-bedroom house / 4-5 people) | 17,500 kWh | £1,185.48 | £1,271.93 | £1,148.19 |
| Gas and electricity usage | Average annual consumption | Direct Debit | Pay On Receipt | PAYG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Low (flat or 1-bedroom house / 1-2 people) | 7,500 kWh | £48.65 | £53.15 | £47.28 |
| Medium (3-bedroom house / 2-3 people) | 11,500 kWh | £69.76 | £75.40 | £67.66 |
| High (5-bedroom house / 4-5 people) | 17,500 kWh | £98.79 | £105.99 | £95.68 |
*Based on the January 2025 price cap rates and customer with typical gas and electric usage, paying by Direct Debit. Rates and standing charges are averages and will vary by region, payment method and meter type. Rates are effective from 1st January 2025.
Compare British Gas tariffs and prices
What makes up your energy bills?
Your energy use is the most important part of your bill. Your energy provider charges you for each unit, or kilowatt hour (kWh) of gas or electricity you use, so the more you use the more you pay.
There’s a lot more to your energy bills though.
Wholesale costs make up the largest part of your energy bill. Other costs include network, policy and operating costs which help to maintain the energy network, contribute towards a net zero future, and supports vulnerable customers. The chart opposite shows the proportion each of those costs contributes to the energy bill of a dual fuel customer paying by Direct Debit with typical energy use, based on the January to March 2024 price cap.
Learn more about how your bills are broken down
Wholesale costs
We buy energy from electricity and gas generators on the wholesale market. The prices set reflect global commodity markets. As with other commodities like petrol, the cost of energy goes up and down with global availability and demand. Changes in wholesale prices tend to be the main reason for energy prices going up or down. We buy energy in advance at the best possible rates to help keep our fixed rate tariffs as low as we can.
Network costs
We don’t own the electricity wires or gas pipes that get the gas and electricity to your home. These costs are set by regional network companies we pay to run, maintain and upgrade the energy networks. Watch our quick video to see how energy gets to your home.
Operating costs
These are the day-to-day costs of managing your energy account, including billing and metering services. We’re always looking for new ways to keep these costs as low as possible. For example, we’re investing in a new account system and app so we can make managing your energy easier online.
Policy costs
We’ve never been busier helping to cut the UK’s carbon emissions. The electricity we source from renewables as part of our fuel mix is way above the UK average. We support the government in funding energy efficiency improvement schemes and obligations like smart meters. And we help to support vulnerable customers through schemes like the Warm Home Discount.
VAT
VAT is set by the UK government at 5% on all home energy bills. It’s lower than the standard rate of 20% which you pay for other household goods and services.
EBIT
Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT) – the profit we make after all other costs.
How your energy bill is calculated
You’ll see two main charges on your gas and electric bill:
Unit rate – the cost you agreed with your energy supplier for each kilowatt hour (kWh) of gas or electricity you use, which could be fixed or variable.
Standing charge – a fixed daily cost you pay in addition to the unit rate regardless of how much gas or electricity you use. This is to cover running costs like metering, maintenance of the pipes and cables that supply energy to your home and keeping your home connected to the energy network. It’s the cost of having a gas or electricity supply. Think of it as a line rental, but for energy.
Learn more about standing charges.
What is a kilowatt hour (kWh)?
A kilowatt hour (kWh) measures how much energy you’re using per hour. One kWh equals a thousand watts of energy. You’ll be using watts of energy on all the appliances you run including heating and lights. If it’s on it is using energy – even on standby!
Learn more about what a kWh is and how it’s calculated with our helpful guide.
Only pay for what you use
If you don’t have a smart meter that sends automated meter readings, it’s important to provide regular meter readings so you only pay for the energy you use and get accurate, not estimated bills.
Electricity cost calculator
Citizen’s Advice have an electricity cost calculator that gives an estimate of how much electrical appliances cost to run and helps you to compare costs for different appliances.
It will help to know the unit rate you’re paying for electricity in kWh to get the most accurate estimates.
Compare British Gas tariffs and prices
Get a quote in a few minutes and see all our available tariffs and prices.
Already with us? Access your online account and see what you could save.
What affects the average gas and electricity bill?
The size of your home and how many people live there can significantly impact how much energy you use. For instance, a property with five bedrooms is more likely to have higher energy bills than a home with one or two bedrooms. A larger home means there’s more rooms or space to heat, and more people means more hot water and more electricity costs.
Lifestyle and how you use energy, energy efficiency measures like how well insulated your home is, and how efficient your home appliances are can also make a difference.
And, if, for example you’re a young family with both parents not working from home and with children at school you will likely use much less electricity than three young professionals all working from home.
Want to find out what everything means on your energy bill? Read our guide to understanding your energy bill.
How to reduce your energy bill
Small changes can make a big difference. You could save money on your average annual bill with some simple energy saving hacks. Some will save you a pound or so a month, others could save upwards of £50 over the course of the year.
- Turn your heating thermostat down by one degree
- Don’t leave appliances on standby
- Switch to LED light bulbs
- Don’t overfill the kettle and only heat what you need
- Take shorter showers
- Dry clothes naturally instead of using the tumble dryer
Our guide on energy saving tips tells you how you can reduce your energy use, cut costs and lower your carbon footprint at the same time.
Smart devices can help you manage your energy use
Understanding how and when you use energy and making changes around the home is an easy way to reduce your energy use. Smart meters will help you to understand when you’re using the most energy. For instance, if you find you’re using a lot of gas when it’s not needed, such as having the heating on too early, you can make changes to use less. There’s also no additional cost to you for installing smart meters.
Other products like Hive’s smart thermostat can also help you to manage your energy use by making sure you’re only heating your home when needed.
Learn more about Hive’s smart home devices.
Get cheaper off-peak electricity
Using electricity at off-peak times could help discount your bills while making energy more sustainable. See our off-peak electricity guide to find out more.
If your electricity is with British Gas, you can join the hundreds of thousands of customers who’ve signed up to our PeakSave scheme and are saving on their bills for making small changes to when they use electricity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my electric bill so high?
If you think you’re being charged too much for your energy, first check to see if your bill is estimated. If it is, take a meter reading and send it to your supplier so that your bill is accurate and you’re only paying for the energy you use.
High energy bills can be caused by the price of energy rising, how much you’re using or a mix of both. We can help if you think your energy bill isn’t correct.
Is gas or electric more expensive?
On the face of it, gas is cheaper than electricity with price cap rates set by Ofgem at 5.48 pence per kWh for gas versus 22.36 pence per kWh for electricity (1 July to 20 September 2024).
But it’s not as simple as cost per kWh. There are other factors to consider like the cost of heating your home.
Gas is generally cheaper to run than electricity. However, gas boilers are expensive to install and need regular servicing to maintain efficiency. Storage heaters are an alternative to traditional central heating systems and make the most of off-peak electricity prices with Economy 7 and 10 meters to help keep costs down. And there’s other electric options to help with costs like underfloor heating and heat pumps.
For cooking, gas ovens are generally cheaper to run than electric, but they tend to be on for longer than fan assisted electric ovens, microwaves or air fryers.
Ultimately, the amount you pay for your gas or electricity will vary depending on the unit rates, the efficiency of your heating system and insulation, your lifestyle and heating needs.
What is the average electric use per day?
According to Ofgem, the average electricity usage per day is 7.4 kWh for electricity and 31.5 kWh for gas.
These averages are based on a dual fuel customer on standard variable tariff paying by Direct Debit. You daily energy usage depends on your lifestyle, the size of your home, the energy efficiency of your home and appliances and how many people you live with.
How we can help
Here are some ways we can help you manage and save energy.
Tracking your energy
If you have smart meters, log in to your account to see how much energy you are currently using on a daily basis.
Smart meters
Monitor how much energy you use with a smart meter, and save time as they automatically send your meter readings to us.
PeakSave
Join hundreds of thousands of customers using their smart meters to save money with PeakSave Sundays.
Struggling to Pay?
We don’t want anyone to struggle. If you can’t pay your energy bill or think your bill might be wrong, we’re here to help.
Want to know more?
Your energy bill
Understand what all the information on your energy bill means.
What is a kilowatt hour (kWh)
A kWh measures how much energy you’re using per hour. You’ll be using watts of energy on all the appliances you run including heating and lights.
Energy saving tips
Reduce your bill and your carbon footprint – try our energy saving tips.
Important information
Based on the July 2025 price cap rates and customer with typical usage, paying by Direct Debit. Rates and standing charges are averages and will vary by region, payment method and meter type. Rates are effective from 1st July 2025.
These figures are based on Ofgem infographic - bills, prices and profits - search 'breakdown of a bill'.