Share this guide:
Last updated: 02 July 2021
Save money on your energy bills
Enter your postcode below to get started
It’s important to know what you’re being charged for on your bill every month so that you can understand why some regions are more expensive than others.
Your energy bill will likely be divided between electricity and gas, but that’s not the only thing you are paying for. Despite being the largest single cost, wholesale gas and electricity only accounts for 40%* of your overall payment. The rest of the bill is made up of the following:
If you see an increase in your bill, then the largest cost will be the wholesale purchase of energy, followed by the cost involved in distributing it.
*According to Ofgem's 2021 report.
There are many reasons why this happens, but here are the main three:
According to an Ofgem report in 2019, households in London paid the most on average for electricity, while those in the North East of England paid the least on average. Following closely behind were South Wales and the South of England. The gap between the average highest and lowest electricity bill was around £65.
Information from the same report states that the highest typical household gas bill was found in the South East of England, whereas those in Yorkshire paid the least on average.
The main reason for higher prices in certain regions was found to be network distribution costs.
There are many ways you can help keep your bills low, and it needn’t involve moving house or wearing all of your jumpers. We’ve compiled a list of things you could easily consider doing:
This is perhaps the simplest and cheapest way to save yourself some money. Use our energy comparison tool to see if switching supplier or tariff could save you money on your bills.
Sometimes companies offer discounts for things like Dual-Fuel Tariffs or for paying via Direct Debit, but it doesn’t pay to be loyal to a particular energy provider and switching is much less hassle than you might think.
By ensuring that all the lights in your house are fitted with energy saving lightbulbs, you can be sure that you are reducing your electricity usage every day. This is by far one of the cheapest options.
It’s important to keep an eye out for drafts through windows and doors, and put down draft-excluders along the bottom of a door or window frame if necessary. You can either buy them, or make your own from towels or cushions etc. Once you’ve done that you can probably turn down your thermostat by a degree or two, saving you money.
There are many ways to insulate your property, from double-glazing to internal wall insulation. Check out the options and see which one is most cost effective for you.
The government has a few grants and programmes available to bill-payers, so check out their website to see if you’re eligible for any of them. For example, if you receive a pension you may be entitled to a Warm Homes discount.
We are an independent and impartial price comparison website.
Our services are 100% free to use.
usave.co.uk is supported by its users. When you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
With the government poised to implement tough new measures to...
Budget broadband provider TalkTalk has been notifying customers via email...
A year-long investigation by charity Citizens Advice has revealed a...
Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi has announced a new commitment to...