A quarter of Brits have admitted being annoyed with members of their household for wasting energy this winter, a survey has suggested.
The research comes as the energy price cap is set to increase on 1 January 2025 bringing the average household bill to £1,738 a year.
Research from MoneySuperMarket carried out on 2000 adults found that 25 percent of the Brits surveyed admitted being annoyed with members of their household for wasting energy this winter.
Leaving lights on in empty rooms was the number one cause of household energy conflict, with over four in 10 (42.1%) saying it had annoyed them.
The next biggest gripe was leaving the television on when no one was watching it, with nearly a third of the people (28.6%) surveyed on December 10 reporting that members of their households do this.
According to the survey, other complaints about habits that waste energy are leaving doors open allowing draughts to circulate leaving devices on charge for longer than is needed and taking longer showers.
Switching off appliances on standby can save £45 a year; while reducing your showers to just four minutes could save a typical household £60 annually, according to research from the Energy Saving Trust.
Kara Gammell, energy expert at MoneySuperMarket, said: “With the average household energy bill set to rise to £1,738 in January, it’s understandable that wasting energy can give rise to tensions at home.
“Adopting good habits as a family and making simple changes, such as turning off lights or televisions when you’re not using them and unplugging devices from standby where possible, can help reduce your energy costs.”
Get everyone involved: If you have a smart meter, show it to the members of your household and explain how using energy unnecessarily can affect the environment and your household finances. Sometimes, understanding the ‘why’ behind the actions can help motivate change.
Agree your energy use rules: Establish some household guidelines for energy use, such as turning off lights when leaving a room, using appliances efficiently, and setting thermostats to energy-saving temperatures.
Make it a challenge: Turn energy-saving into a game. Set family goals for reducing electricity use and track progress together. Create a points system where your family earns points for energy-saving actions, like turning off lights or unplugging devices, that they can exchange for rewards.
