FAMILIES COULD SAVE £13 MILLION A WEEK IN ENERGY COSTS AS KIDS RETURN TO SCHOOL

• Families could save more than £13 million a week on energy costs as children go back to school this week[1]
• Cooking, television watching and dishwasher use are set to fall by the biggest amount, potentially saving each household around £125 a year[2]

• With energy prices set to rise from October, Uswitch.com encourages households to take advantage of cheaper fixed deals to reduce their bills.

The start of a new school year can be an expensive time for families across the county, but new research by Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service, reveals that households could save a staggering £13 million a week on their energy bills as children return to classrooms[1].

The September savings come from a significant reduction in television and game console use, fewer oven-cooked meals, 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 fewer meal each school day would save the average household £1.09[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 71p[4].  

Reducing weekly dishwasher use from 11 to nine loads would save 64p[5], and even turning off a 15W bulb for six hours every school day could reduce bills by 10p a week[6].

Families are likely to use the washing machine more frequently as children wear school uniforms in addition to their evening clothes, adding an extra 12p a week to their energy use[7].

In total, the changes add up to a weekly saving of £2.42 a household — equivalent to £125 a year.

With the average school uniform clocking in at £92.35 per child[8], the potential savings could go a long way towards helping cash-strapped families. 

Household energy bills are set to increase by 10% from October, so Uswitch is encouraging families to think about switching to a fixed deal to protect against upcoming price rises.

Elise Melville, energy expert at Uswitch.com, comments: “The return to school is a good opportunity for families to cut back on their energy and potentially save significant sums.

“Using your oven, TV and dishwasher less can make a big difference to your energy bills, while there are plenty of other small savings to be had such as keeping the lights switched off.

“Although there may be more washing to be done when school starts again, this extra cost is likely to be cancelled out by using other home appliances and gadgets less.

“Maximising these opportunities to save is a good idea as energy bills will be on the rise from October, putting more pressure on households’ budgets. 

“If families are on their supplier’s default tariff, now is a good time to look for a fixed deal, as there are potential savings to be had.”

Compare fixed energy deals at Uswitch.com.