Electricity consumption in the UK - statistics & facts

As in many other developed countries during the past decade, electricity consumption in the United Kingdom has been in decline. Energy efficiency measures, greater awareness of electricity saving measures among consumers, and struggling energy-intensive industries have all contributed to this trend. Since 2020, the the UK’s net power supply has dipped below 300 terawatt-hours for the first time in almost twenty years. Despite this decline, the UK still ranks amongst the largest electricity consumers worldwide and the fourth-largest in Europe.

Electricity consumption trends

The amount of electricity consumed in the UK follows a seasonal trend. Monthly electricity consumption in the UK typically peaks in the winter months when the colder weather sets in and there are fewer daylight hours. This is especially the case in December and January, when consumption generally oscillates around 28 terawatt-hours. June, in contrast, experiences the lowest consumption each year, at around 20 terawatt-hours since 2020. Power usage in the UK also varies by region. In 2021, households in the East of England registered the largest average domestic consumption. The South East and South West regions also had consumption rates above the national average, of four megawatt-hours per residence. The domestic sector has been the largest final user of electricity in the UK for most of the current century. Meanwhile, consumption from the industrial sector has been declining over the past decade, shrinking by roughly 20 percent between 2010 and 2021.

Declining power demand and rising prices

Despite the steady decrease in electricity consumption, the average domestic bill in the UK grew by approximately 40 percent over the past decade, driven by growth in wholesale costs, grid maintenance expenses, and environmental and social contributions. In turn, the UK’s household expenditure on electricity was almost 19 billion pounds in 2021, while industry expenditure shot to a peak of nine billion pounds. Over the past few years, the UK’s government implemented the Ofgem price cap to protect energy customers. In October 2022, the energy price guarantee came into effect as an additional measure for reducing electricity and gas prices for households.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Aug 31, 2023

Key insights

Net electricity supply in the UK
294 TWh
Demand for electricity in the UK
321 TWh
Leading final electricity consumer in the UK
Households
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