Since the pandemic, homeworking has remained an integral part of working culture in the UK, with our recent survey revealing that many Brits still opt to WFH at some point in the working week.
However, working from home doesn’t always come cheap, and although commuting costs are cut, other expenses such as gas and electricity can quickly add up. Now that the winter months are approaching, 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 more Brits can expect to spend, working from home in the winter months compared to the summer.
What is the difference in cost to work from home in the summer vs. the winter in the UK?
The research uncovered that it is 47.7% cheaper for Brits to work from home in summer than in the winter.
Data suggests that on average, energy bills over summer will cost home workers £713.70 based on the average Brit using 36% less energy in the summer months.
However working from home in the winter could leave British homeworkers £1,304.16 poorer than in summer, with energy expenses over the winter months costing an estimated £2,017.86.
What is the average cost of electricity for homeworkers in the summer vs. the winter?
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.
This puts the average cost of electricity when working from home 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.
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, 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.
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 the winter months approaching, Brits should be aware that working from home could put more strain on your gas and electricity expenses than in the summer. In fact, for those who work from home every day, you could be looking at paying £1,304 more on your energy bills than you were six months ago.”
“A number of Brits still choose to work from home throughout the week, so it’s valuable to know that paying a trip to the office when possible could help put less strain on your bank account this winter.”
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.
