An Introduction To Gas Bills In Britain

Are you paying too much in gas bills? We discuss some interesting facts about gas bills and gas price in the UK. In this article, you can find out about

  • How much your monthly gas bills should be
  • How you could lower your gas bills in winter
  • How you can read your gas meter
  • If you need a Gas Safety Certificate

How much should my gas bill be monthly?

The size of your gas bill depends on factors such as:

  • The size of the home and number of occupants
  • The age of the house
  • How well-insulated your home is
  • Whether you use gas for your heating and/or cooking
  • Your gas supplier and your tariff
  • How you pay your gas bill

The average gas bill in the UK is about £48 a month (for a 3-bedroomed house). Gas bills for 1-2-bedroomed homes are less expensive (£33 a month) while inhabitants of 5-bedroomed homes or larger will pay about £66 a month.

How can I lower my gas bill in winter?

To avoid getting a shockingly high gas bill in winter, you could pay by direct debit. Not only will this spread the cost of your gas bills over the year, but most energy suppliers offer a discount of around 7% for this form of payment. There are some changes you could make to the way you heat your home as well.

A gas safety engineer is shown performing a check on a gas boiler

Many Britons pay costly gas bills because their heating is set too high. Just by turning down the thermostat by 1 degree centigrade, you could cut your gas bill by £55-£75 a year. You should also make sure that heating isn’t kept on while you’re sleeping, and/or when no one’s home.

You should think about which areas of the home need to be heated. Communal rooms such as the living room need heating, but in rarely-used rooms you should use a valve to turn on the radiator only when it’s necessary. A lot of heat is lost through poorly-insulated homes. If you can’t afford cavity wall or loft installation, draught-proofing windows and doors and keeping curtains closed in the evenings can prevent heat escaping.

Gas bills questions:

Is it cheaper to pay gas and electric monthly?

If you are looking to maximise your savings when paying your gas bills, you should consider setting up a direct debit to pay monthly. It is typically 7% cheaper to pay by direct debit than any other form of paying. This figure may vary from supplier to supplier, but it is worth checking with your existing supplier whether any form of payment can net you a discount on your gas bills.

Can a faulty boiler increase your gas bill?

According to high authority sources, including the Energy Saving Trust and British Gas, the notion that leaving the heating on all day is cheaper is wrong. Istead, it is best from an environmental and financial perspective to turn the heating on only when it is required. In this manner, you would save energy and therefore money from your gas bills in the long run.

How much gas does the average house use in the UK?

The average UK house consumes approximately 17,000 kilowatt (kWh) of natural gas annually. The average expenditure of a British family household on gas and electricity bills is about £1260 per year. Approximately half of this amount is estimated to be spent on gas bills. Switching energy suppliers can help to decrease the cost of energy bills of UK consumers.

How can I read my gas meter?

The way to read your gas meter depends on the type you have. For digital meters, you read the 5 numbers from left to right ignoring any numbers after the decimal point. Imperial gas meters are read in the same way, but there are only 4 numbers (ignoring any numbers to the right which are in red).

By turning down the thermostat by 1 °C you can cut gas bills by £55-£75 a year

If your home has a dial meter, look at the 4 dials on the bottom row from left to right and make a note of the number the pointer indicates. If it points between 2 numbers, use the lowest number.

Do I need a Gas Safety Certificate?

Also known as the Gas Safety Record (or CP12), a Gas Safety Certificate is compulsory for landlords who rent out their property. This check of all gas appliances owned by the landlord must be carried out by a Gas Safety registered engineer once a year.

Although it isn’t mandatory for homeowners, it’s recommended that all households with gas appliances have an annual check. The cost of a Gas Safety Certificate varies from £35-£150, and the price depends on how many gas appliances are in the home. People on means-tested benefits might be entitled to a free check.

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