According to new data, it could be £1,304 cheaper for Brits to work from home (or “WFH”) in the summer than in the winter when it comes to energy costs.
Since the pandemic, homeworking has remained an integral part of working culture in the UK, with studies even suggesting that as many as 39% of Brits still opt to WFH at some point in the working week (Source: Statista).
However, working from home doesn’t always come cheap. Although commuting costs will go down, other necessities like heating your workspace or using electronics such as computers and printers throughout the workday can cause gas and electricity expenses to quickly add up. But with temperatures rising, how will this impact costs for British homeworkers?
Researchers at TonerGiant have crunched the numbers to compare the average usage and costs of electricity and gas throughout the year to determine how much Brits could save depending on whether they WFH in the summer or the winter.
What is the difference in cost to WFH in the summer vs. the winter in the UK?
Researchers calculated the average summer and winter energy usage in the UK, and based costs of the summer and winter price cap on electricity and gas, in order to estimate the total cost of energy for both seasons.
The research uncovered that it is 47.7% cheaper for Brits to WFH in summer than in the winter, with summer energy expenses totalling £713.70 based on the average Brit using 36% less energy in the summer months (Source: Switchcraft).
Meanwhile, WFH in the winter could leave British homeworkers £1,304.16 poorer than in summer, with energy expenses in the winter months costing an estimated £2,017.86.
What is the average cost of electricity for homeworkers in the summer vs. the winter?
Brits use 36% less energy in summer than in winter (Source: Switchcraft), and the annual electricity usage in the UK is 2,900 KWh on average (Source: Ofgem).
Taking this into account, researchers at TonerGiant predict that homeworkers are expected to use 1,131 KWh of electricity in the summer months and 1,796 KWh of electricity in the winter.
The summer price cap on electricity usage in the UK is 30p, whilst the winter price cap is 52p (Source: Ofgem).
This puts the average cost of electricity when WFH in the summer at £339.30, whereas the average cost of electricity when WFH in the winter is over £500 more costly, at £916.89. Both of these costs cover the sixth month period of each season.
What is the average cost of gas for homeworkers in the summer vs. the winter?
The annual gas usage in the UK is 12,000 KWh (Source: Ofgem), meaning that homeworkers use an estimated 4,680 KWh of gas in the summer and 7,320 KWh of gas in the winter.
The summer price cap on gas usage in the UK is 8p, whereas the winter price cap is 15p (Source: Ofgem).
Researchers have calculated that the average cost of gas for homeworkers in the summer is therefore estimated to be £374.40, compared to £1,098 in the winter, making WFH in the winter over £700 more expensive.
Commenting on the findings, Stuart Deavall, Digital Marketing Manager at TonerGiant said:
“With prices on the rise, Brits may be relieved to learn that working from home in the summer months will put significantly less strain on your gas and electricity expenses than in winter. In fact, for those who work from home every day, you could be looking at paying £1,304 less on your energy bills than you were six months ago.”
“A number of Brits still choose to work from home throughout the week, meaning that certain tasks that you wouldn’t think twice about in the office, such as using your computer or printing out work documents, can end up contributing towards your household bills every month.”
“It’s valuable to know that with the average energy use falling over the summer, working from home during this season is likely to put less pressure on your bank account than in the winter months.”
TonerGiant conducted this research to compare how much British homeworkers may save when WFH in the summer vs. the winter. For further information on the topic, visit their data hub here.
