Prices and tariffs · Bills
Average household energy use: compare kWh, not just bills
Bills change with prices; kWh tell you how much energy you actually use. Compare your yearly kWh with Ofgem's benchmarks to see whether use, not price, is behind a high bill.
Updated 2 October 2026 · energy.org.uk editorial team
The short answer
Ofgem's typical domestic consumption values for a home heated by gas are:
| Low | Typical | High | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity (single-rate meter), kWh a year | 1,600 | 2,500 | 3,800 |
| Gas, kWh a year | 11,500 |
These are national benchmarks used to set the price cap. They are not targets, and they do not describe any one home.
Check
What to check first
- Your own yearly kWh. Your bill or online account usually shows the last 12 months. Use readings if not: see the meter reading calculator.
- How your home is heated. Homes heated by electricity use several times more electricity than a gas-heated home, so compare with care.
- Who is at home. Someone in all day, home working or a new baby all raise use.
- Big electric loads. Electric showers, heaters, tumble dryers, hot tubs and electric cars make a large difference.
Why bedroom counts are a weak guide
Tables of "average use by number of bedrooms" mix very different homes. Insulation, heating type, who lives there and daily routines matter more than room count, so a figure for your number of bedrooms says little about whether your own use is high.
Do
Practical next steps
- Find your yearly kWh for electricity and gas.
- Compare them with the benchmarks above, keeping your heating type in mind.
- If electricity is high, see what appliances cost to run.
- If gas is high, check heating controls and flow temperature and draught-proofing.
- Use the bill checker to see whether use, rates or estimates are behind a high bill.
Take care
Important limitations
- Ofgem revises these values from time to time; the figures above apply from 1 July 2026.
- Benchmarks are for single-rate meters; Economy 7 homes use different values.
Related tools and guides
Sources
Official sources checked 2 October 2026.