Average Gas & Electricity Usage in the UK – 2020
Gas guzzlers or careful consumers? In this infographic, we compare gas and electricity usage and costs in the UK.
The Average Gas & Electricity Usage in the UK – 2020
Ever wondered how your business energy and household gas and electricity consumption measures up against the rest of the region?
Average business gas & electricity usage and average energy costs
Average kWh usage per year in 2020 – business electricity
| Business size | Low end usage (kWh) | High end usage (kWh) |
| Micro business | 5,000 | 15,000 |
| Small business | 15,000 | 25,000 |
| Medium business | 30,000 | 50,000 |
| Large business | Supply handled differently |
Average business gas usage (kWh) per year in 2020
| Business size | Low end usage (kWh) |
| Micro business | 10,000 |
| Small business | 25,000 |
| Medium business | 30,000 |
Average business electricity bill in 2020
| Business size | Average business electricity bill per year (£) |
| Micro business | £1,062 |
| Small business | £2,038 |
| Medium business | £3,146 |
Average business gas bill in 2020
| Business size | Average business gas bill per year (£) |
| Micro business | £430 |
| Small business | £856 |
| Medium business | £1,424 |
Average domestic gas & electricity usage and average energy costs
Average kWh per year in 2020 – domestic
Take a look at your annual energy consumption. Is your usage high, medium, or low?
| Fuel | Level | Consumption per year (kWh) |
| Gas | Low | 8,000 |
| Medium | 12,500 | |
| High | 18,000 | |
| Electricity | Low | 2,000 |
| Medium | 3,100 | |
| High | 4,600 |
And what about the average cost?
According to the latest figures from industry watchdog Ofgem, the average dual fuel variable tariff is £1,162 a year for 11 million households that use a standard variable energy tariff to buy their energy. The four million homes that have a prepay meter have an average gas and electricity price of £1,200.
| Level | Average Annual Utility Bill | |
| Low | £734 | |
| Medium | £1,066 | |
| High | £1,494 |
Average domestic kWh per day in 2020
The exact amount of gas and electricity used per day will vary depending on
- The appliances used on that day
- The day – people generally use more energy on a weekend
- The season – people generally use more energy in winter
The average household uses:
- Electricity: 8.5 – 10 kWh per day
- Gas – 33 – 38 kWh per day
How to calculate your annual gas and electricity cost
Estimating your annual energy cost is a good way to compare the tariffs of different providers with one simple figure:
(Your annual energy usage) X (The amount quoted per kWh) = Your estimated annual cost
The UK vs. the World
How much electricity does the UK consume per average household in comparison to the rest of the world?
Average electricity consumption per household – World
In relation to the rest of the world, the UK has rather low consumption (3,100 kWh for a medium household). In fact, the United States consumes more than three times as much as we do (11,700 kWH per year); with Saudi Arabia consuming almost twice as much as the United States.
How do UK electricity tariffs compare?
These are the estimated average per kWh electricity costs in different European countries. The graph shows that the UK’s electricity prices are reasonably priced in relation to other EU countries, especially considering that the average UK wage is much higher than that of countries such as Portugal and Spain, whose electricity prices are higher than the UK’s.
| Country | Price per kWh in EUR – Household | Price per kWh in EUR – Non-Household |
| Denmark | 0.2984 | 0.0707 |
| Germany | 0.3088 | 0.1557 |
| Belgium | 0.2839 | 0.1147 |
| Italy | 0.2301 | 0.1661 |
| Portugal | 0.2154 | 0.1186 |
| Spain | 0.2403 | 0.1148 |
| Austria | 0.2034 | 0.1076 |
| United Kingdom | 0.2122 | 0.1517 |
| Sweden | 0.2015 | 0.0738 |
| Greece | 0.1650 | 0.1059 |
| Netherlands | 0.2052 | 0.0941 |
| France | 0.1765 | 0.1024 |
| Norway | 0.1867 | 0.0829 |
| Poland | 0.1343 | 0.1003 |
| Estonia | 0.1357 | 0.0197 |
| Bulgaria | 0.9978 | 0.0887 |
With the increasing price of gas and electricity and a growing competitive market, these areas present households and businesses with the potential for simple savings.
Contact us to discover potential savings on your gas and electricity bills.