Household electricity consumption in Great Britain 2021, by region

The East of England has recorded the highest average household electricity consumption in Great Britain since 2019. In 2021, this added up to 4,075 kilowatt-hours per household. In comparison, households in the North East of England had the lowest average consumption, at 3,165 kilowatt-hours per household.

End user consumption

Despite continual annual declines in consumption since 2005, households have remained the largest electricity end-users in the UK since 2005. In 2020, amidst lockdown measures following the coronavirus outbreak, the gap between domestic and industrial consumption grew even wider. In 2021, domestic electricity consumption in the UK amounted to 109 terawatt-hours, while industrial consumption recorded the lowest figure of the century, at some 85 terawatt-hours.

Electricity demand projected to grow

Electricity consumption in the UK has seen a dramatic decrease in the past two decades, at least partially related to increased efficiency in equipment and distribution. In 2021, consumption from all electricity suppliers in the UK stood at 294 terawatt-hours, a decline of roughly 17 percent when compared to 2005. Nevertheless, projections show that the UK's electricity consumption will grow by around 30 percent until 2040, to surpass 34 million tons of oil equivalent that year.