Average Chesterfield household 'paying almost twice as much to fuel home'

National Energy Action said the situation will continue to deteriorate this year as customers face spiralling energy bills when the Government's Energy Price Guarantee – which means bills for a typical household are currently capped at £2,500 per year – rises in April.

Energy usage varies throughout the UK, so we've studied local figures to work out how much an average household might pay in our area.

The latest figures from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy show the average Chesterfield household consumed 11,173 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of gas and 2,451 kWh of electricity in 2021.

One kWh would run an average oven for around 30 minutes, while the median has been used to exclude extreme values which could skew the average.

At the current charging rates capped by the Government, it means the average household on a variable tariff continuing to use the same amount of energy as in 2021 would be paying around £2,221 per year to run their home.

Based on prices last winter, the average Chesterfield household would have had an annual spend of approximately £1,148 for the same amount of energy – just over half as much. Households on a fixed tariff will pay for energy at their current rate until the term comes to an end.

Adam Scorer, chief executive of National Energy Action, said the situation could worsen this year following the end of the current Energy Price Guarantee, claiming one in three households will be in fuel poverty.

Mr Scorer said "Millions of the most vulnerable – carers, people with disabilities, those on low incomes and living in inefficient homes – are already bearing the brunt this winter," he added. "The effects of this are devastating on both physical and mental health. Make no mistake, cold homes can kill.”

A BEIS spokesperson said: "We know it is a difficult time for families across the country. That is why we have acted swiftly to provide support, including the Energy Price Guarantee, which is saving the typical household around £900 this winter, as well as £400 payments towards bills and £1,200 for the most vulnerable households."