The average annual domestic electricity bill in the United Kingdom saw an overall increase from 2010 to 2022 and boomed in 2023. In this period, households with an annual consumption of 5,100 kilowatt-hours saw bills rise from 539 to 1,152 British pounds, including value-added tax. The household expenditure on electricity in the UK amounted to approximately 26.3 billion current British pounds in 2022. Direct debit payments consistently cheaper In the period under consideration, the annual bill for an electricity consumption of 3,600 kilowatt-hours was consistently more expensive for consumers using standard credit as a method of payment, averaging 959 real British pounds in the latter year. From 2016 onwards, consumers using the prepayment method paid less than standard credit consumers and, in 2022, their bill was the least expensive, at 903 real British pounds. Electricity prices on the rise Household electricity prices in the UK have doubled in the past decade for both consumer groups. Despite the UK government setting a tariff cap to protect consumers, UK’s power market was greatly impacted by the global energy crisis. In the summer of 2022, electricity prices in Great Britain peaked at 363.7 British pounds per megawatt-hour.

In February 2025, electricity prices in the United Kingdom amounted to 143.37 British pounds per megawatt-hour, an increase on the previous month. A record high was reached in August 2022 when day-ahead baseload contracts averaged 363.7 British pounds per megawatt-hour.
Electricity price stabilization in Europe Electricity prices increased in 2024 compared to the previous year, when prices stabilized after the energy supply shortage. Price spikes were driven by the growing wholesale prices of natural gas and coal worldwide, which are among the main sources of power in the region.

… and in the United Kingdom? The United Kingdom was one of the countries with the highest electricity prices worldwide during the energy crisis. Since then, prices have been stabilizing, almost to pre-energy crisis levels. The use of nuclear, wind, and bioenergy for electricity generation has been increasing recently. The fuel types are an alternative to fossil fuels and are part of the country's power generation plans going into the future.

In Great Britain, the least expensive tariff for a domestic dual fuel and direct debit customer with large legacy suppliers was around 150 British pounds sterling less than the average standard variable tariff in October 2024. In that same month, the average standard variable tariff for large legacy suppliers were just below the price cap of 1,717 British pounds sterling set by the Energy Price Guarantee (EPG) for the last quarter of 2024.

Household electricity prices in the United Kingdom averaged 22.03 euro cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in the first half of 2020. Over the past decade, household electricity prices have seen an overall increase, peaking at 22.10 euro cents per kWh in the second half of 2019. On average, the UK pays some of the highest electricity prices in Europe. Annual electricity billsIn 2019, the average annual domestic electricity bill for those with an electricity consumption of up to 3,800 kWh was 608 British pounds. In comparison, those with a consumption of 6,000 kWh paid 837 British pounds. Payment methods also affect electricity bills, with consumers who used prepayment paying the least. In 1970, the overall expenditure on electricity by all end users in the UK amounted to 1.5 billion British pounds. This increased significantly in the following decades and amounted to nearly 38 billion pounds by 2018.

As of the fourth quarter of 2024, oil prices in the United Kingdom stood at 74 dollars per barrel, with prices expected to rise to 76.6 dollars a barrel in early 2025, before gradually falling in subsequent quarters.

The price of gas in the United Kingdom was 106 British pence per therm in the fourth quarter of 2024. It is anticipated gas prices will increase to 131 pence in the second quarter of 2025 before gradually falling to just under 80 pence by the second quarter of 2027.
Surging energy costs and the cost of living crisis At the height of the UK's recent cost of living crisis in 2022, approximately 91 percent of UK households were experiencing rising prices compared with the previous month. It was during 2022 that the UK's CPI inflation rate reached a peak of 11.1 percent, in October of that year. Food and energy, in particular, were the main drivers of inflation during this period, with energy inflation reaching 26.6 percent, and food prices increasing by 18.2 percent at the height of the crisis. Global Inflation Crisis The UK was not alone in suffering rapid inflation during this time period, with several countries across the world experiencing an inflation crisis. The roots of the crisis began as the global economy gradually emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. Blocked-up supply chains, struggled to recover as quickly as consumer demand, with food and energy prices also facing upward pressure. Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 led to Europe gradually weening itself of cheap Russian energy exports, while for several months Ukraine struggled to export crucial food supplies to the rest of the World.

The average gas price in Great Britain in January 2025 was 123.02 British pence per therm. This was 50 pence higher than the same month the year prior and follows a trend of increasing gas prices. Energy prices in the UK Energy prices in the UK were exceptionally high in 2021-2022 due to an energy supply shortage as a result of lower pipeline supplies from Norway and Russia, as well as reduced LNG imports owing to greater purchases by customers in Asia. Multiple factors such as a lack of gas storage availability and the large share of gas in heating have exacerbated the supply issue in the UK. This led to multiple suppliers announcing bankruptcy, while an upped price cap threatened energy security of numerous households. The United Kingdom has some of the highest household electricity prices worldwide. How is gas used in the UK? According to a 2023 survey conducted by the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 58 percent of respondents used gas as a heating method during the winter months. On average, household expenditure on energy from gas in the UK stood at some 24.9 billion British pounds in 2023.

UK Electricity decreased 15.90 GBP/MWh or 15.52% since the beginning of 2025, according to the latest spot benchmarks offered by sellers to buyers priced in megawatt hour (MWh). This dataset includes a chart with historical data for the United Kingdom Electricity Price.

Germany, Belgium, and Ireland had some of the highest household electricity prices worldwide, as of June 2024. At the time, German households were charged around 0.39 U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour, while in Belgium, the price stood at 0.37 U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour. By comparison, in Qatar, residents paid more than 10 times less. What is behind electricity prices? Electricity prices vary widely across the world and sometimes even within a country itself, depending on factors like infrastructure, geography, and politically determined taxes and levies. For example, in Denmark, Belgium, and Sweden, taxes constitute a significant portion of residential end-user electricity prices. Reliance on fossil fuel imports Meanwhile, thanks to their great crude oil and natural gas production output, countries like Iran, Qatar, and Russia enjoy some of the cheapest electricity prices in the world. Here, the average household pays less than 0.1 U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour. In contrast, countries heavily reliant on fossil fuel imports for electricity generation are more vulnerable to market price fluctuations. The top importers of natural gas in Europe in 2023 were Germany and Italy, where this energy source constitutes a relevant share of the power mix.

In March 2024, industrial electricity prices in the European countries of Poland, Italy, and the United Kingdom were among the highest in the world, at over 0.40 U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour. Singapore was the Asian country with the highest electricity bill worldwide at that time. Lowest electricity prices in the world The average retail electricity price in the United States was considerably lower than in most of Europe. Iceland was the European country with one of the lowest electricity bills for enterprises that month. At the bottom of the ranking were also Russia, Iraq, Qatar, Argentina, and Libya. In these countries, commercial electricity prices amounted to less than 0.1 U.S. dollars per kilowatt-hour. Household electricity prices In addition, European countries had the highest household electricity prices worldwide that month, with Italy at the top of the ranking. By comparison, Iran and Ethiopia had the lowest residential electricity prices in the world.

A single member household uses an average of 54 cubic meters of water annually in the United Kingdom. This figure almost doubled when there were two members per household and increased to approximately 191 cubic meters within a household of five. In terms of daily use, a single person household used an estimated 149 liters per day, with water usage amounting to 276 liters per day when two people lived at home. Baths consume the most water There are many household appliances that use water, such as dishwashers, washing machines or toilets, and each uses varying amounts. However, it is baths that use the largest quantity. On average, a bath consumes 80 liters of water per use. In comparison, a shower uses 46 liters per use. Household water bills The average household water bill in the UK differs from company to company. In 2018, customers of water supply and sewerage utility Wessex Water paid on average 245 British pounds for their water bill. This was the most expensive in the UK. Water bills were on average cheapest for customers of Southern Water, at an estimated 158 British pounds. Southern Water covers areas of East Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Since 1995, the overall price of natural gas has increased for households with consumption of less than 200 GJ and more than 200 GJ. Prices for a consumption of 20 GJ to < 200 GJ peaked in 2015 at 6.52 euro cents per kilowatt hour. Although prices have seen an overall increase, natural gas consumption has been in decline over the past decade.

Norway had by far the most expensive average annual water bill in Europe as of 2019, at 970 euros per household. In contrast, Bulgaria had one of the lowest annual water bills among the selected European countries, at approximately 120 euros.

The East of England accounted for the highest average household electricity consumption in Great Britain in 2022. That year, it added up to 3,720 kilowatt-hours per household. In comparison, households in the North East of England had the lowest average consumption, at 2,906 kilowatt-hours per household. End user consumption of electricity in the UK Despite continual annual declines in consumption since 2005, households have remained the largest electricity end-users in the UK since 2005. In 2020, amidst lockdown measures following the coronavirus outbreak, the gap between domestic and industrial consumption grew even wider. In 2022, domestic electricity consumption in the UK amounted to 96 terawatt-hours, while industrial consumption recorded the lowest figure of the century, at some 85 terawatt-hours. Declining electricity consumption in the UK Electricity consumption in the UK has seen a dramatic decrease in the past two decades, at least partially related to increased efficiency in equipment and distribution. In 2022, consumption from all electricity suppliers in the UK stood at 275 terawatt-hours. Projections indicate that the UK's electricity consumption will resume a growing trend after 2025, to surpass 32 million tons of oil equivalent in 2040.

The average annual household water bill in England and Wales was 199 British pounds for the year ended March 2023. Annual household water bills across England and Wales vary greatly depending on the provider. In the year ending March 2023, Essex and Suffolk Water customers had the highest average water bill, at 245 British pounds. Customers of Portsmouth Water had the lowest average annual water bill in financial year 2023, at 109 British pounds.

Wholesale electricity prices in the European Union (EU) increased in 2024 after recovering from the global energy crisis in 2023. This was the result of a myriad of factors, including increased demand in the “post-pandemic” economic recovery, a rise in natural gas and coal prices, and a decline in renewable power generation due to low wind speeds and drought. Nuclear power's critical role In 2023, nuclear and wind were among the leading sources of electricity generation in the EU, accounting for more than one-third of the output. Nuclear energy continues to play a crucial role in the European Union's electricity mix, generating approximately 619 terawatt-hours in 2023, which accounted for about 20 percent of the region's power production. However, the future of nuclear power in Europe is uncertain, with some countries like Germany phasing out their nuclear plants while others maintain their reliance on this energy source. The varied approaches to nuclear power across EU member states contribute to the differences in electricity prices and supply stability throughout the region.

Renewable energy's growing impact As Europe strives to decarbonize its energy sector, renewable sources are gaining prominence. Wind power in Europe, in particular, has seen significant growth, with installed capacity in Europe reaching 257.1 gigawatt hours in 2023. This expansion of renewable energy infrastructure is gradually reshaping the electricity market, potentially leading to more stable prices in the long term. However, the intermittent nature of some renewable sources, such as wind and solar, can still contribute to price fluctuations, especially during periods of low output.

The UK inflation rate was three percent in January 2025, up from 2.5 percent in the previous month, and the fastest rate of inflation since March 2024. Between September 2022 and March 2023, the UK experienced seven months of double-digit inflation, which peaked at 11.1 percent in October 2022. Due to this long period of high inflation, UK consumer prices have increased by over 20 percent in the last three years. As of the most recent month, prices were rising fastest in the communications sector, at 6.1 percent, but were falling in both the furniture and transport sectors, at -0.3 percent and -0.6 percent respectively.
The Cost of Living Crisis High inflation is one of the main factors behind the ongoing Cost of Living Crisis in the UK, which, despite subsiding somewhat in 2024, is still impacting households going into 2025. In December 2024, for example, 56 percent of UK households reported their cost of living was increasing compared with the previous month, up from 45 percent in July, but far lower than at the height of the crisis in 2022. After global energy prices spiraled that year, the UK's energy price cap increased substantially. The cap, which limits what suppliers can charge consumers, reached 3,549 British pounds per year in October 2022, compared with 1,277 pounds a year earlier. Along with soaring food costs, high-energy bills have hit UK households hard, especially lower income ones that spend more of their earnings on housing costs. As a result of these factors, UK households experienced their biggest fall in living standards in decades in 2022/23. Global inflation crisis causes rapid surge in prices The UK's high inflation, and cost of living crisis in 2022 had its origins in the COVID-19 pandemic. Following the initial waves of the virus, global supply chains struggled to meet the renewed demand for goods and services. Food and energy prices, which were already high, increased further in 2022. Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 brought an end to the era of cheap gas flowing to European markets from Russia. The war also disrupted global food markets, as both Russia and Ukraine are major exporters of cereal crops. As a result of these factors, inflation surged across Europe and in other parts of the world, but typically declined in 2023, and approached more usual levels by 2024.

In February 2025, 56 percent of households in Great Britain reported that their cost of living had increased in the previous month, compared with 45 percent in late July. Although the share of people reporting a cost of living increase has generally been falling since August 2022, when 91 percent of households reported an increase, the most recent figures indicate that the Cost of Living Crisis is still ongoing for many households in the UK. Crisis ligers even as inflation falls Although various factors have been driving the Cost of Living Crisis in Britain, high inflation has undoubtedly been one of the main factors. After several years of relatively low inflation, the CPI inflation rate shot up from 2021 onwards, hitting a high of 11.1 percent in October 2022. In the months since that peak, inflation has fallen to more usual levels, and was 2.5 percent in December 2024, slightly up from 1.7 percent in September. Since June 2023, wages have also started to grow at a faster rate than inflation, albeit after a long period where average wages were falling relative to overall price increases. Economy continues to be the main issue for voters Ahead of the last UK general election, the economy was consistently selected as the main issue for voters for several months. Although the Conservative Party was seen by voters as the best party for handling the economy before October 2022, this perception collapsed following the market's reaction to Liz Truss' mini-budget. Even after changing their leader from Truss to Rishi Sunak, the Conservatives continued to fall in the polls, and would go onto lose the election decisively. Since the election, the economy remains the most important issue in the UK, although it was only slightly ahead of immigration and health as of January 2025.