Ofgem has confirmed a 0.2% increase in the energy price cap, which means many homes could be paying more for their energy during a time when gas and electricity usage typically surges
UK homes are bracing for another surge in energy bills, following Ofgem’s decision to hike the energy price cap in the New Year. The energy watchdog has confirmed a 0.2% rise in the energy price cap, pushing it up to £1,758 for an average dual-fuel household.
This means that many households will be shelling out more for their energy during a period when gas and electricity consumption typically spikes to keep homes cosy. It’s crucial to note that some households may fork out more or less than the energy price cap annually, depending on their usage.
As families scramble to counter these soaring energy costs, simply switching off certain ‘vampire devices’ could save hundreds of pounds each year. These devices earn their name by draining electricity even when they’re supposedly ‘turned off’.
This means that while they’re not in use, they could still be adding to your energy bill. Luckily, you can put a stop to this by simply turning off these devices at the plug when they’re not in use.
Top vampire devices to unplug
According to data from Green Match , you could be spending as much as £146.53 extra just leaving a wide variety of devices on standby mode. This can include:
- Tumble dryer: £5.58
- Washing machine: £5.58
- Fridge: £49.18
- Game console: £23.82
- Modem: £16.53
- Desktop computer: £11.59
- Laptop: £9.01
- Dishwasher: £6.44
- Smart speakers: £6.44
- Microwave: £5.15
- Television: £4.94
- Printer: £1.07
- Water kettle: £0.64
- Phone charger: £0.56
Bear in mind that many of the aforementioned appliances are still functional when left in standby mode. This means you can use them efficiently by unplugging and then plugging them back in whenever they need to be used.
Moreover, the annual cost of your devices while left in standby mode can vary greatly, depending on usage and the model of the device. You can get a rough estimate of the efficiency and potential cost of any given device by looking out for its Energy Performance Certificate rating.
This rating positions any given device on a scale from A to G, with colours ranging from green to red. Devices with an A rating are considered to consume the least amount of energy and could cost the least to run, while the opposite is true for a device in the G category.
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