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Bigger bills for households on standby

Although 95% of Britons are aware electrical appliances drain power when left on standby, five and a half million (12%) of us still never ensure household appliances are switched off new research reveals.

This power-drain costs the nation £246 million in electricity per year

The figures from www.moneysupermarket.com show more than four in 10 adults admit they always leave appliances in standby mode or never switch them off at the wall socket. Unsurprisingly those consumers with higher electricity bills are more likely to leave appliances in standby mode - 17% of those who never switch off appliances have annual electricity bills of more than £600. 

The top three appliances left in standby mode include a microwave (39%), TV (30%) and computer equipment (21%). So Britons who said they constantly left them on standby would spend £46.2 million, £67.1 million and £90.8 million respectively. And with households now likely to have more than one TV or stereo, the costs could be even higher.

In addition, appliances such as mobile phones and iPods are often left to recharge for hours with consumers then leaving the charger plugged in – a constant energy drain. Although the standby power consumption of one mobile phone charger averages 0.002 watts per hour, the 5.5 million Brits (12%) who constantly leave their mobile charger plugged in racks up an extra £7.3 million in electricity costs.

Paul Schofield, head of utilities at moneysupermarket.com, said: “Millions of pounds worth of energy is wasted each year by household appliances such as TVs and stereos being left in standby mode.

“It is clear consumers are aware appliances in standby mode do drain power, but they don't always make a conscious effort to turn these gadgets off. By taking some responsibility to turn your TV off completely, rather than just reaching for the remote, you could do your bit to reduce wasted household energy. Not only will this help the environment but consumers will also see the benefit as the cost of their electricity bills fall.”

The research also revealed:

• Londoners are the most guilty of leaving their TV in standby
• Younger people are most likely to leave their mobile phone chargers in standby mode with 24% of those aged 18 to 29 admitting to always doing this compared to 10% of 50 – 54-year-olds.

 www.moneysupermarket.com is a website where consumers can compare the cost of personal finance products, save money and apply online. 

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