Average Electricity Bill UK: Monthly and Annual Costs

What is the average electricity bill per month in the UK?

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) reports an average UK household electricity bill of £981 for 2025. Dividing by 12 gives £81.75 a month. The figure is provisional, expressed in 2025 prices and based on average actual consumption adjusted for temperature. It excludes Economy 7 tariffs.

That historic average is the best official answer to what households actually paid, but it is not a forecast of your next bill. Prices, consumption and tariff structures change. A monthly Direct Debit can also include an adjustment for account credit or debt, so it may not equal the cost of electricity used in that month.

For a current comparison, a medium-use single-rate household in England, Scotland or Wales using 2,500 kWh a year would pay about £858.13 if Ofgem’s average Direct Debit capped rates for 1 October to 31 December 2026 continued for a full year. That is £71.51 a month. The calculation uses 26.32p per kWh plus a 54.83p daily standing charge.

Low, medium and high electricity bill examples

Ofgem’s typical domestic consumption values are reference points for households whose actual use is not known. From 1 July 2026, the single-rate electricity benchmarks are 1,600 kWh a year for low use, 2,500 kWh for medium use and 3,800 kWh for high use. They are medians intended to represent typical use, not limits or promises about a bill.

Using the October 2026 Great Britain average capped Direct Debit rates for a full 365 days gives the following illustrations. Low use costs about £621.25 a year or £51.77 a month. Medium use costs about £858.13 a year or £71.51 a month. High use costs about £1,200.29 a year or £100.02 a month.

Each total includes £200.13 of annual standing charges: 365 × 54.83p. The rest is the usage charge. Regional rates differ, as do fixed tariffs, standard-credit rates and prepayment rates. These figures are therefore comparisons, not quotes.

• Low use: 1,600 kWh × 26.32p + £200.13 = £621.25 a year.
• Medium use: 2,500 kWh × 26.32p + £200.13 = £858.13 a year.
• High use: 3,800 kWh × 26.32p + £200.13 = £1,200.29 a year.

How to calculate your own monthly average

Your own annual usage is more informative than a national average. Find the annual consumption figure in kWh on a recent bill or supplier account. Multiply it by the unit rate in pounds, add 365 times the daily standing charge in pounds, then divide by 12.

The formula is: annual kWh × unit rate + (365 × daily standing charge) = estimated annual electricity cost. Divide the result by 12 for a monthly average. Check whether your tariff figures include VAT before calculating, so that tax is not added twice.

For example, 3,200 kWh at 24.5p per kWh costs £784. A standing charge of 49p a day adds £178.85 a year. The estimated total is £962.85 a year, or £80.24 a month. This example covers electricity charges only and does not include account debt, discounts, export payments or gas.

Why your bill may be above or below average

The number of bedrooms is only a rough guide. Electricity use is affected by how many people live in the home, how often they are there, the efficiency and age of appliances, cooking habits, working from home and whether an electric vehicle is charged at home.

Heating and hot water make a particularly large difference. A home with gas central heating may use electricity mainly for appliances and lighting, while an all-electric home may also power storage heaters, panel heaters, an immersion heater or a heat pump. Comparing those homes without accounting for heating can be misleading.

Solar panels can reduce the electricity imported through the meter, while a home battery or time-of-use tariff can change when electricity is bought and what it costs. Economy 7 and other multi-rate customers should calculate peak and off-peak use separately rather than applying a single national rate.

Why a monthly Direct Debit is not a monthly bill

A fixed monthly Direct Debit normally spreads an estimate of annual costs across the year. You may pay more than the electricity used in summer and draw down that credit during winter. If your supplier expects higher annual use, changes its rates or needs to recover an account shortfall, the payment can move away from a simple monthly average.

Citizens Advice recommends checking the readings on the bill against the meter and asking the supplier to explain how an increased payment was calculated. Regular readings help keep the forecast accurate when a smart meter is not sending them automatically.

To judge whether electricity consumption is high, compare kWh rather than only pounds. Prices can change even when behaviour does not. Compare the latest 12 months with the preceding 12 months where possible, using actual readings and allowing for major changes such as a new electric car or heating system.

Great Britain and Northern Ireland use different systems

Ofgem’s price cap and the October 2026 rates above apply in England, Scotland and Wales. The cap limits unit rates and standing charges on protected default tariffs; it does not cap the total bill. A household that uses more electricity still pays more.

Northern Ireland has a separate electricity market and its domestic tariffs are not covered by the Ofgem cap. The Utility Regulator approves the maximum tariff charged by regulated supplier Power NI, while other suppliers compete with it. Northern Ireland households should use the unit rates, discounts and any standing charge shown by their own supplier and can compare deals through the Consumer Council tool linked by the Utility Regulator.

The £981 DESNZ figure is a UK actual-bill average, whereas the £858.13 illustration uses Great Britain tariff and consumption benchmarks. They should not be treated as two estimates for the same population and period.

How to make a fair comparison

Start with a complete year of actual meter readings. A short winter period can exaggerate a monthly average, especially in an electrically heated home, while a summer snapshot can understate it. Then use the tariff rates that applied during each part of the year if they changed.

Separate electricity charges from gas, account balances and regular payments. Check the unit rate, standing charge, number of days, meter registers and whether the readings are actual or estimated. The electricity bill calculator can then turn two readings and your tariff into an itemised estimate.

If the result is unexpectedly high, look for an estimated opening reading, a tariff change, a longer billing period or a high-use appliance before assuming the meter is faulty. Keep dated meter photographs and contact the supplier about any large unexplained difference.