Working from home could add an extra £131 a month to energy bills under the new price cap, consumers have been warned. Employees have been advised to weigh up the cost of their commute against the soaring price of energy from October 1, with those paying less than £30 a week for travel possibly better off going in to their workplace to save money, Uswitch said.
A typical household will run up a £363 monthly bill for gas and electricity under Ofgem’s new £3,549 price cap for the three months from October 1. However full-time workers are estimated to increase their daily gas use by 75% based on them having the heating on for an extra 10 hours a day during the coldest months, while electricity use is predicted to rise by 25% as they cook meals and prepare cups of tea at home.
Larger households with a higher energy consumption are likely to pay £513 a month, rising to £698 for those who are working from home. These households could save money if their total weekly commuting costs add up to less than £46, the switching and comparison site calculated.
