100+ UK Energy Statistics 2023

It’s recently been a volatile time for UK household energy prices. Many households have endured unprecedented price hikes since 2020, largely due to COVID-19, the cost of living crisis, and the conflict in Ukraine.

Our research has enabled us to gather more than 100 UK energy statistics for 2023, to reveal industry trends, household consumption figures, and what the future looks like for UK household energy bills.

Top 10 UK energy statistics 2023

• British Gas remains the biggest energy supplier in the UK with 20% of the overall market share.

• The average annual UK energy bill is £2,645 as of Q1 2023 – a 77% rise from the previous year.

• London and the South East have the most energy-efficient homes across England and Wales, on average.

• The price of wholesale electricity fell 75% between July 2022 and May 2023.

• Renewable energy is now responsible for over 47% of the UK's electricity generation.

• Merseyside and North Wales is the region that pays the most for electricity, with an average annual bill of £1,241

• The average annual gas bill is £1,357 as of Q1 2023 – a 106% rise from 2022.

• The average British household has 2.4 people living in it and uses 2,900 kWh of electricity and 12,000 kWh of gas per year. 

• Offshore wind is the most prevalent source of renewable electricity generation in the UK, making up 19.2% of all electricity.

• The South East and London were found to have the most energy-efficient homes in the UK, on average.

Which companies are the biggest suppliers in the UK energy market?

Recent energy statistics found that British Gas remains the biggest energy supplier in the UK. Despite having a 5% lower market share than in 2020, British Gas still accounts for a fifth (20%) of the entire UK energy market.

A breakdown of the companies with the biggest market share of UK domestic energy in Q3 2022

E.ON has the next highest market share, with its overall percentage of 17% representing a 5% increase from Q4 2019.

The five biggest energy companies in the UK (British Gas, E.On, SSE/OVO Energy, EDF, and Scottish Power) collectively account for 70% of the overall UK energy market.

UK Energy Price Cap latest

The Energy Price Cap is a UK Government legislation first introduced in January 2019 and is designed to regulate how much consumers pay for energy. The cap is reviewed regularly by  Ofgem – the government regulatory body for gas and electricity companies in Great Britain.

Under the scheme, Ofgem is required to determine the maximum price that suppliers can charge consumers for each kilowatt per hour (kWh) of energy they use, with the cap changing to reflect the costs of wholesale energy. 

As of July 2023, the maximum amount a household can pay for a dual-fuel energy bill is set to £2,074 per year, which reflects the recent falls in wholesale energy prices. 

Previously, record wholesale prices had seen the price cap exceed £4,000. In response to this, the UK Government introduced the Energy Price Guarantee in October 2022, a subsidiary that ensured households would pay no higher than £2,500 per year on energy. 

The July 2023 price cap marks the first time that the Energy Price Cap has fallen below £2,500 since October 2022, with the decrease in costs bringing an end to the Energy Price Guarantee.

How much energy does the average UK home use?

According to Ofgem, the average British household has 2.4 people living in it and uses 2,900 kWh of electricity and 12,000 kWh of gas per year. This works out at 242 kWh of electricity and 1,000 kWh of gas per month.

What is the average energy bill in the UK?

The latest UK energy statistics found that the average combined energy bill in Q1 2023 was £2,645. This represents a 77% rise from the average annual costs recorded for 2022.

A breakdown of the average cost of UK energy bills in Q1 2022 and Q1 2023

The price of electricity also accelerated during this time, with the latest average annual cost of £1,288 representing a 55% increase from the previous year (£833). Gas incurred even greater price rises over this period, increasing by 106%, from £658 to £1,357. 

Which UK region has the most expensive electricity bills?

The latest UK energy statistics found that Merseyside and North Wales is the region that pays the most for electricity. An average annual cost of £1,241 makes it the only UK region with average costs above £1,200.

A breakdown of the average annual cost of electricity bill by region (2022)

The South East is the second most expensive region in the country for electricity bills, with average costs of £1,199 per year (around 3% less than Merseyside and North Wales). There is no significant variation in cost between the north and south, with every region bar two (Merseyside & North Wales and Northern Ireland) paying between £1,100 and £1,200.

Northern Ireland is the only UK region with average costs below £1,000, with an average bill of £875. This is around a fifth (22%) less than the next cheapest region (North Scotland), and almost a third (29%) less than Merseyside & North Wales.

Which UK region has the most expensive gas bills?

Recent UK energy stats found that London was the UK region with the most expensive gas bills. The UK capital’s average annual cost of £1,193 is around 3% more than the next highest region (South Scotland).

A breakdown of the average annual costs of a UK gas bill by region (2022)

There is minimal variation in annual gas costs across the UK, with every region bar one (the North East) paying between £1,100 and £1,200 for their gas on average. 

The North East has the lowest annual gas costs, with an average bill of £1,086 per year. This is around 2% less than the next cheapest regions (Yorkshire and East Midlands), and 7% lower than London.

Local authorities ranked based on energy consumption per capita

The UK local authority that uses the most energy per capita is the Isles of Scilly. This archipelago off the coast of Cornwall is home to just 2,271 residents, yet they each consume an average of 3,348 kilowatts per hour. This is also the region where residents pay the most for their energy. Per resident, Isles of Scilly inhabitants pay an average of £1,004, which is 54% more than those living in nearby Cornwall have to pay.

A breakdown of the local authorities that use the most energy

(Source: Uswitch via Gov.uk, ONS, and Ofgem) 

Isles of Scilly residents consume 266 kWhs more than the average resident in the next highest local authority, the City of London - despite it being a financial and technological hub, and home to four times as many residents as the Isles of Scilly. Residents in the City of London also pay less for their energy, at £936 per capita. 

Cotswold is the area with the third most energy consumed per capita. However, residents in this part of the country consume over a fifth (21.8%) less energy than those in the capital. Residents in the Cotswolds pay £732.59 per capita, which is 26% less than what people in the Isles of Scilly pay.

A breakdown of the UK local authorities that use the least energy

(Source: Uswitch via Gov.uk, ONS, and Ofgem) 

Newham in east London is the local authority that uses the least amount of energy in the UK. In this London borough, Newham’s 350,000 residents use an average of 1,072.31 kWhs. This is around two-thirds (67%) less than the amount of energy consumed per person on the Isles of Scilly. Newham also has the lowest price paid per capita, at just £321 - around 65% less than the City of London average.

Barking and Dagenham, located just to the east of Newham, has the second lowest level of energy consumption in the UK. Their 218,534 residents consume an average of 1,135 kWhs per capita, and pay an average of £340 per person for their energy, the second lowest amount in the UK.

Consuming just 49 kWhs per hour more than Barking and Dagenham is Waltham Forest. Another London borough, the average Waltham Forest inhabitant consumes 1,184 kWhs of energy at an average cost of £355 per year. This is just £15 a year more than residents of Barking and Dagenham.

Local authorities with the highest and lowest percentages of unheated households

The local authority with the highest percentage of homes without central heating is the Isles of Scilly. With 942 households spread across 200 islands, less than a fifth (17.5%) don’t have central heating. 

A breakdown of the UK local authorities with the highest percentage of unheated households

(Source: Uswitch via Gov.uk, ONS, and Ofgem) 

In the UK, there are 367,119 homes without central heating, accounting for around one in 75 homes. 

The local authority with the next highest percentage of households without central heating is Westminster. This London borough has over hundred times more households than the Isles of Scilly (924 vs 94,815), but 22 times more households without central heating by comparison. In all, there are 3,680 households without central heating in Westminster, making up 3.9% of all homes in the borough.

It’s a similar story in the City of London. Around 3.7% of homes in the borough don’t have central heating, amounting to 184 households. 

A breakdown of the UK local authorities with the lowest percentage of unheated households

(Source: Uswitch via Gov.uk, ONS, and Ofgem) 

The UK local authorities with the lowest percentage of non-centrally heated households are all located in Wales. Just 0.5% of households in Torfaen, Caerphilly, and Bridgend don’t have central heating in their homes, amounting to 214, 395, and 302 properties respectively. 

This is 97% percent less than the percentage of households in the Isles of Scilly that lack central heating.

The figure for the percentage of homes without central heating creeps up to 0.6% for both North East Derbyshire and Hart in Hampshire. 

How much has local authority energy consumption changed over time in the UK? 

Between 2015 to 2021, 36 of the 311 UK local authorities increased their energy consumption. The local authority that increased its energy consumption the most was Salford. In 2015, the Lancashire local authority was consuming a total of 414 million kWh. By 2021, residents of Salford were consuming around 444 million kWh. This represents a 7.3% increase in energy consumption across the six-year period.

A breakdown of the local authorities with the highest percentage of unheated homes

(Source: Uswitch via Gov.uk, ONS, and Ofgem) 

The next highest growth in energy consumption was Tower Hamlets, increasing by 5.6% between 2015 and 2021. From 2019 to 2020 alone, the amount of energy consumed in Tower Hamlets increased by around 6.3%, from 418 million kWh to 445 million kWh. During this period, Salford and Tower Hamlets were the only UK local authorities to experience a rise in energy consumption above 5%.

The third highest local authority for energy consumption growth is Stratford-on-Avon. In 2019, energy consumption stood at 275 million kWh, yet shot up by 8% in the space of a year to 297 million kWh. A reduction of 14 million kWh between 2021 to 2022 puts Stratford-on-Avon closer to its pre-pandemic levels. Between 2015 to 2021, the local authority’s energy consumption increased by 4.2%.

Overall, just 10 local authorities experienced an increase in energy consumption between 2015 and 2021 of more than 2%. In addition, 18 local authorities saw their energy consumption increase by more than 1% over this six-year period.

A breakdown of the local authorities which have decreased their energy consumption the most

(Source: Uswitch via Gov.uk, ONS, and Ofgem) 

In 2020, virtually every UK local authority, apart from the City of London and Westminster, saw their energy consumption increase. By 2021, every local authority experienced an overall reduction, with most returning to pre-pandemic levels.

The local authority that underwent the greatest reduction between 2015 and 2021 was Hastings. Energy consumption in this time decreased by 12.5%, from 160 million kWh to 140 million kWh. Over this six-year period, Hastings experienced just two years where energy consumption went up from the previous year (2017 and 2020).

Not far behind in terms of a reduction in energy consumption was South Tyneside. In 2015, South Tyneside consumed 220 million kWh. By 2019, this figure was down to 199 million kWh. After a 4.4% uptick in 2020, the amount of energy consumed fell by 6.2% in 2021. In all, South Tyneside’s energy consumption went down by 11.4% between 2015 and 2021.

Blackpool, another local authority in the north of England, also experienced a significant decline in energy consumption between 2015 and 2021, decreasing by 11.3%. 

In all, 114 local authorities experienced a reduction in their energy consumption of more than 5% between 2015 and 2021. Meanwhile, 237 underwent a reduction of greater than 2%.

How has the number of electric meters in the UK changed over time?

Since 2015, every UK local authority has seen a rise in the number of electric meters. The local authority with the greatest increase is Tower Hamlets, increasing from 118,110 in 2015 to 138,770 by 2021. This represents a 16.4% rise.

What is an electric meter?

A device used to measure the amount of electricity consumed within a given location, in this case, people’s houses. Energy companies use these to measure how much their customers are using, for billing purposes. 

A breakdown of the UK local authorities which have seen the biggest increase in electric meters

(Source: Uswitch via Gov.uk, ONS, and Ofgem) 

Not far behind Tower Hamlets is Salford. Between 2015 and 2021, the number of meters in the Lancashire local authority went up by 15.3%. Their biggest rise in a single year came in 2016, when the number of meters rose by 3.9%. As of 2021, there were almost 129,000 meters in this local authority.

South Derbyshire underwent a 13.9% increase in the number of meters between 2015 and 2021, rising to 47,700 (+13.9% in a six-year period). 

A breakdown of the UK local authorities which have seen the smallest increase in electric meters

(Source: Uswitch via Gov.uk, ONS, and Ofgem) 

The local authority that increased their number of electric meters the least was the Isles of Scilly. Between 2015 and 2021, the percentage of electric meters in the Isles of Scilly increased by 0.09%. In 2016, the islands experienced a rise of 0.26%, but this was cancelled out by decreases of 0.08% in 2017 and 0.09% in 2018. As of 2021, there were 1,180 electric meters across the islands.

Another local authority which experienced a marginal increase in the number of electric meters was Kensington and Chelsea. Between 2016 to 2021, there was a 0.14% increase in the number of electric meters in the London borough. The largest single rise came in 2021, when the quantity of electric meters rose from 88.350 to 88,470.

Portsmouth was the only other UK local authority that experienced an increase in electric meters of under 1%. In 2015, the Hampshire local authority had just 90,34 electric meters, yet by 2021 this had risen to 91,150.

In all, 18 local authorities saw their number of electric meters increase by under 2% between 2015 and 2021. In addition, 106 local authorities experienced a rise of less than 4% during this period. 

Factors affecting UK energy prices

There are numerous factors that can affect the overall cost of your gas and electricity bill. From external factors, like the price of wholesale energy, to reasons closer to home, like the energy efficiency, or the EPC rating of your property. 

Providers can also charge significantly different costs for their services and, in some cases, switching your energy provider can present an opportunity to reduce your monthly outlays. 

How does the cost of wholesale energy affect my energy bill?

Wholesale energy is electricity or gas that is purchased in bulk by domestic energy suppliers to supply to you, the customer. 

Energy companies will buy wholesale energy from energy producers, and then add additional charges to cover the various costs involved in distributing the domestic energy used to power your home. 

These additional costs can include:

• Network and equipment costs (e.g. maintaining gas pipes and electricity cables)

• Operating costs like billing and metering, and VAT.

As such, the price of wholesale energy has a considerable impact on the cost of your  bill, as well as the cost of energy for businesses.

A breakdown of the cost of wholesale electricity between July 2022 and May 2023

The latest UK energy stats show a steady fall in the price of wholesale electricity between 2022-23. After reaching record highs in the summer of 2022, wholesale prices fell by around 47% between the final week of July 2022 and the last week of December 2022.

The decline in wholesale prices continued in January 2023, falling below £200 per megawatt per hour (MWh) for the first time since February 2022. By the last week of May 2023, wholesale prices had fallen to £104.33 – a 75% decrease from July 2022 and the lowest price recorded since September 2021. 

A breakdown of the cost of wholesale gas between July 2022 and May 2023

Recent UK energy stats found that wholesale gas prices fell steeply between 2022-23. After soaring to record levels in the summer of 2022, prices decreased 49% between July and December 2022, from £4.20 per therm to £2.14 per therm.

Prices continued to decrease steadily in the early months of 2023, before falling by more than a quarter (26%) between April and May 2023. By the final week of May 2023, wholesale gas was priced at around 96p per therm. This represents a 77% decrease from July 2022, and marks the first time wholesale gas prices have fallen below £1 per therm since September 2021.

How does your home's EPC rating affect your energy bill?

An energy performance certificate (EPC) is a rating given by an accredited energy assessor that indicates the energy efficiency of your home. An EPC survey grades your property from A (best) to G (worst) and is valid for 10 years.

An EPC document also indicates how much it will cost to heat your home and how much CO2 it emits.

The scores associated with each grade are:

• Band A – 92 plus (most efficient)

• Band B – 81 to 91

• Band C – 69 to 80

• Band D – 55 to 68

• Band E – 39 to 54

• Band F – 21 to 38

• Band G – 1 to 20 (least efficient)

Your EPC rating can be affected by numerous things including:

• How well your property is insulated

• The efficiency of your boiler

• What type of shower you have installed

• Whether or not your property has renewable energy equipment installed.

Which UK region has the most energy-efficient homes?

A UK energy report from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) found that the median average energy score across all homes was 67 in England and 65 in Wales, as of March 2022. Both of these median scores are equivalent to an EPC rating of D.

The highest average scores were found in London and the South East, which both recorded median ratings of 68.

A regional breakdown of the median energy efficiency scores for homes in England and Wales (up to March 2022)

(Source: ONS)

Every English region in 2022 recorded a median energy efficiency rating of D, with only three points separating the lowest-scoring and the highest-scoring regions. Yorkshire and The Humber and Wales were the lowest-scoring regions, both receiving median average energy efficiency scores of 65.

What type of property is the most energy efficient?

The latest UK energy statistics found that flats and maisonettes are the most efficient property type across the country, with median energy scores of 72 in England and 73 in Wales (both equivalent to band C).

A breakdown of the median energy efficiency rating of various property types in England and Wales (up to March 2022)

(Source: ONS)

There were some notable differences in the energy efficiency rankings across England and Wales. Semi-detached houses were found to be the least efficient homes in England (64), yet received the second-highest efficiency score in Wales (65). 

Contrastingly, while detached houses and terraced houses were the joint-second most efficient homes in England (65), they were the joint-least efficient in Wales (63). 

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UK green/renewable domestic energy statistics

With the UK aiming to reach net zero by 2050, a primary part of that strategy is a transition to a green energy system with zero-carbon generation. A key component of this strategy will be a significant increase in the production and usage of renewable electricity across the UK.

What percentage of the UK’s energy production is renewable? 

The latest UK energy statistics found that renewable energy’s share of electricity generation reached a record 47.1% in Q1 2023. This represents a 1% increase on the previous record set in Q1 2020 (46.1%), and is 2.4% higher than Q1 2022.

A breakdown of the renewable energy sources with the most significant share of overall UK electricity generation (Q1 2023)

Offshore wind is the most prevalent source of renewable electricity generation in the UK, accounting for around a fifth (19.2%) of the country’s total electricity production – a 4.3% rise from Q1 2022.

Though onshore wind’s share of 13% makes it the second most common source of renewable electricity generation, this represents a 1% drop from the previous year when it accounted for 14% of the total energy market. 

Bioenergy, solar power, and hydroelectric’s overall shares have all endured moderate declines of below 1% between Q1 2022 and Q1 2023.