Households with kettles will face higher costs from October 1, as the energy price cap increases by 4%. The rise, announced by Ofgem this week, is attributed to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and rising wholesale oil prices.
From October to the end of December, households on a standard variable tariff paying by Direct Debit will pay an average of 26.32 pence per kilowatt hour (kWh) for electricity, up from the current average of 26.11 pence per kWh.
Kettle running costs revealed
With the increase taking effect in just over a month, households may become more cautious about appliance usage. Kettles, found in most British homes and used for making tea and coffee, are often used multiple times a day, but many may not realise how much they add to energy bills.
Using the Utilita calculator, the annual cost of using a kettle in a UK household is £75.37, with the cost per day at just 5p. The calculator assumes the standard kettle uses more than 2,000 kWh, with some models using even more.
Ways to cut kettle costs
Energy experts have shared ways households can reduce the cost of using their kettles, including descaling them and refraining from overfilling them when only a small amount of boiled water is needed.
Following this week's announcement, Neil Kenward, Ofgem’s director general for markets, said: "High international gas prices are continuing to drive energy costs in the UK."
Kenward added: "We welcome the Government’s intervention to remove VAT from electricity bills, without which customers would have faced even higher costs this winter. Savings are available by choosing a fixed tariff, which are available at £100 or more below the October price cap, and many suppliers offer tariffs with cheaper electricity to smart meter customers for electricity consumed out of peak times."
He also noted: "It’s also worth considering different payment methods, with prepayment customers paying the lowest price cap rates, and could save consumers an average of about £45 compared to direct debit."
