Households spending hundreds on electricity when nobody is home

Several people across the UK are spending hundreds of pounds every year on power when they are not at home or are sleeping, according to new research from All About Money.

Typical household appliances and electronics are costing a tiny amount each day but this soon racks up and contributes £526 to their yearly energy bill.

The research found a typical fridge-freezer costs around eight pence per day to run, while a broadband router sets people back three pence every day. Although this may not seem like a lot of money, the cost of these two appliances adds up to £40.15 a year.

Phone and laptop chargers, as well as appliances on standby, use much less energy than fridges but can still add a lot to a household's energy bill over the course of a year – especially in larger family households.

Ian Williams of All About Money said: "Alongside the obvious fridge and freezer, there's broadband equipment, clocks, radios and other gadgets. Whilst many of these draw little power, taken together it adds up. On top of this, homes often have a profusion of chargers for smartphones, cordless tools, laptops and tablets which are often left running for hours."

All About Money listed several appliances that contribute towards a typical household electricity usage of six pence a day – £500 a year. Included in the items were fridges, freezers, two TVs and a games console on standby, four mobile phones on charge, a burglar alarm and a laptop charger.

Electricity bills are a major worry for individuals and their families as the big energy suppliers start to increase their tariffs. For this reason people should take a look around the house at which appliances can be turned off. A fridge may need to be switched on all the time but things such a TVs and wireless routers often are not needed during the night when people are asleep.

By Joe White

Find out more about energy tariffs on the Cleardebt blog.