Uswitch.com recently launched a first of its kind Green Accreditation for green tariffs, to help consumers navigate different tariffs classed as green.
Half of all households in Nottingham are on a green energy tariff (46%), compared to a fifth (20%) in Southampton[1] and just 15% of households in Belfast
But Glaswegians would be willing to pay the most for a ‘truly green’ tariff, with residents prepared to fork out £60 extra a year — £14 more than UK average[2]
Nottingham has the UK’s highest take-up of green tariffs, with nearly half of households (46%) on an eco-friendly deal[1], according to new research by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.
According to the study, a third of all UK households currently have a green tariff[2], with Nottingham, Norwich (44%) and London (39%) leading the way. While only 15% of people in Belfast - and a fifth (20%) in Southampton currently have a green energy deal[1].
Pastures green: Percentage of UK households with a green energy tariff
Pastures green: Percentage of UK households with a green energy tariff
| City | % of households signed up to green tariff |
|---|---|
| Nottingham | 46% |
| Norwich | 44% |
| London | 39% |
| Leeds | 37% |
| Brighton | 36% |
| Bristol | 32% |
| Sheffield | 31% |
| Liverpool | 29% |
| Cardiff | 29% |
| Edinburgh | 29% |
| Newcastle | 29% |
| Plymouth | 27% |
| Manchester | 25% |
| Glasgow | 24% |
| Birmingham | 24% |
| Southampton | 20% |
| Belfast | 15% |
Source: Uswitch.com
The Uswitch study also found that residents in Glasgow would be willing to pay the most for a ‘truly green’ tariff, with people prepared to spend an extra £60 a year on their energy bills — £14.40 more than the UK average of £45.60[2].
By contrast, people in Newcastle and Manchester would be willing to pay just £31.20 extra a year for a truly green, more environmentally friendly tariff[2].
Average amount households would be willing to pay extra for a ‘truly green’ tariff
Average amount households would be willing to pay extra for a ‘truly green’ tariff
| City | Amount households would be willing to pay a year |
|---|---|
| Glasgow | £60 |
| Liverpool | £54 |
| Bristol | £51 |
| London | £51 |
| Plymouth | £50 |
| Sheffield | £46 |
| Nottingham | £45 |
| Southampton | £43 |
| Norwich | £42 |
| Birmingham | £40 |
| Cardiff | £40 |
| Edinburgh | £39 |
| Belfast | £38 |
| Leeds | £38 |
| Brighton | £34 |
| Manchester | £31 |
| Newcastle | £31 |
Source: Uswitch.com
Uswitch has now launched a first of its kind, independently verified accreditation scheme for green tariffs to make it easier for consumers to navigate between different tariffs classed as ‘green’.
The Uswitch Green Accreditation categorises tariffs into ‘bronze’, ‘silver’ and ‘gold’ — splitting the tariffs up depending on the level of renewable energy suppliers directly buy and the level of investment they are making to support the growth of renewable energy.
Will Owen, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said: “It’s obvious that households in the UK want to do their bit for the environment - a third have already taken out a green energy deal, with Nottingham leading the way.
“It is easier than ever to switch to a green deal, and many of them are among the best value tariffs on the market — meaning you can save money on your energy bills, and do your bit for the environment at the same time.
“With our new Green Accreditation, where you can see which green tariffs are classed gold, silver and bronze for their environmental credentials, households should find it easier than ever before to make an informed choice.”
Find out more about the Green Accreditation here.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Ross Stebbing
Phone: 07827 836 709
Email: ross.stebbing@rvu.co.uk
Twitter: @UswitchPR
Notes to editors
1. Respondents were asked ‘Are you on a green tariff?’ 33% said yes. The proportion who said ‘yes’ in each city can be found in the accompanying table in the release.
2. Respondents were asked ‘If a household is on a green tariff it means that some or all of the units of electricity that the customer buys are 'matched' by units of energy that have been generated from a verified renewable energy source, like a wind farm, solar array or hydroelectric power station. How much extra a month would you be willing to pay for a green tariff that was 100% directly from renewable energy?’ The UK average was £3.80 extra a month. £3.80 x 12 = £45.60. The average amount in each city can be found in the accompanying table in the release.
About Uswitch
Uswitch is one of the UK’s top comparison websites for home services switching, including energy, broadband and mobiles.
More people go to Uswitch to switch their energy, broadband and mobile than any other site, and we have saved consumers over £2.7 billion off their bills since we launched in September 2000.
Free mobile app Utrack also helps households manage their home energy usage and make potential savings.
Uswitch is part of RVU, a group of online brands with a mission to empower consumers to make more confident home services, insurance and financial decisions.
