Annual domestic electricity bill in the United Kingdom (UK) 2010-2020

From 2010 to 2020, the average annual domestic electricity bill in the United Kingdom saw an overall increase. Those with a consumption of 5,100 kWh/year saw bills rise in the period from 539 to 699 British pounds, including value added tax. The household expenditure on electricity in the UK amounted to approximately 18.4 billion British pounds in 2020.

Direct debit payments consistently cheapest

Between 2010 and 2020, the annual bill for an electricity consumption of 3,600 KWh was consistently cheaper for consumers using direct debit payment, averaging at 557 GBP in the latter year. From 2018 onwards, consumers using the prepayment method paid less than standard credit consumers, whose average bill has since surpassed 600 GBP per year.

Electricity prices on the rise

Household electricity prices in the UK have increased by roughly 60 percent in the past decade, averaging between 22 and 25 euro cents per kilowatt-hour in 2020, depending on the annual consumption. Despite the UK government setting a tariff cap in order to protect consumers, high electricity prices should cause the average domestic bill to rise further in 2021. Between January and September that year, monthly electricity prices in Great Britain more than quadrupled, peaking at more than 200 pounds per megawatt-hour.