Return to school could save homes more than £11 million on energy bills

• Families could save more than £11 million a week on energy costs as children go back to school next week[1]

• Cooking, television watching and dishwasher use are set to fall by the biggest amount, saving each household around £104 a year[2]

• With this year seeing the cost of energy tariffs at their lowest since 2018,  Uswitch.com urges families to take advantage of cheap fixed deals to further reduce their bills.

Back to school can be an expensive time for many families across the country, but new research by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service, reveals that households could save a staggering £11 million a week on their energy bills when children return to classrooms next week[1].

The autumn savings come from a significant reduction in television and gadget use, the use of the oven for cooking five lunches a week, and a fall in the amount of washing up required as children spend up to eight hours a day less at home.

Using the oven to cook one less meal each school day would save the average household 80 pence[3], while the amount of television watched by children could fall by more than three hours a day, reducing the average weekly energy cost by 75 pence[4].  

Reducing weekly dishwasher use from 11 to nine loads would save 47 pence[5], and even turning off a 15W bulb for six hours every school day could reduce bills by seven pence a week[6]. 

Families are, however, likely to need to use the washing machine more frequently as children wear school uniforms in addition to their evening clothes, adding an extra nine pence a week to their energy use[7].

In total, the changes add up to £2 a week per household — equivalent to £104 a year. With the average school uniform clocking in at £160 per child[8], the potential savings could go a long way towards helping cash strapped families. 

Uswitch is now encouraging savvy families to think about switching as this year has seen energy deals at their cheapest since 2018. 

The comparison and switching service has also created a guide for families on how they can use less energy around the home and save money on gas and electricity bills.

Sarah Broomfield, energy expert at Uswitch.com, comments: “Families have seen their energy use rocket during lockdown, so the return of children to school will mean a welcome reduction in costs in many households - and one that could help offset the cost of back to school uniforms and other essentials.

“Hours of television and playing on gadgets can significantly increase household bills, while cooking meals and washing up after children all add up.  

”The savings will be reduced by the fact that most families will find themselves doing more washing as children wear school uniforms in addition to their casual clothes every day.

“Families who are concerned about their energy bill should check whether they are on their supplier’s default tariff, as they could make even greater savings by switching to a fixed rate deal.”

Uswitch energy saving tips for families:

• Draughts. Make sure you don't have any draughts. Seal off your windows and doors.

• Full load. If you're using your dishwasher or washing machine make sure you have a full load.

• 30 degrees. When you are using your washing machine, make sure you have it at thirty degrees. You can get a really good wash that way - in fact, you can sometimes drop down to fifteen degrees.

• 1 degree. Turn your heating down by one degree.

• Curtains. Close your curtains when it gets dark.

• Boiling water. Only put as much water as you need in the kettle, so if you're making a cup of tea for one, don't fill it to the top.

• Light bulbs. Use energy saving light bulbs.

• Standby. Turn appliances off, don't keep them on standby.

• Energy grants. Talk to your energy suppliers or your local energy advisory centre. There's lots of money available for grants and financial help to install energy saving measures.

Find out how you could save nearly £1,000 a year with Uswitch here.