Unplug microwaves to save money on bills, say experts

MICROWAVES and televisions are “vampire devices” that cause households to waste up to £147 a year when left on standby, British Gas has warned.

Appliances including washing machines, games consoles and computers are a drain on both energy and bank accounts, according to analysis.

Leaving a TV on standby costs £24.61 a year, while leaving a Freeview box plugged in at the mains adds £23.10, research by British Gas found.

Leaving a microwave switched on at the plug costs an average of £16.37 a year, while a washing machine and tumble dryer add £4.73 and £4.79 respectively. Computer devices also increase annual bills when plugged in but not in use: games consoles add £12.17, for computers it is £11.22, printers raise costs by £3.81 and even phone chargers cost households £1.26. These sums can quickly multiply for bigger households with several devices.

British Gas estimated that unsuspecting customers added a combined £2.2billion a year to their energy bills by leaving appliances on standby.

Energy bills rose by £693 on average this April when the price cap was increased, and further rises are expected later this year. Analysts at Cornwall Insight have predicted that the price cap will rise again to around £2,600 in October, and forecast that high energy bills will continue into the 2030s.

Millions of households have received letters informing them of massive increases to their gas and electric payments, with some now paying more for energy than for their mortgage.

A survey of 1,500 people found that almost one in five was unaware that household appliances still used electricity while not in use.

However, 21 per cent claimed they would continue to leave appliances on standby, citing the most common reason as not believing the effort was worth the financial savings.

Marc Robson, of British Gas, said: “Switching off vampire appliances can really help save money straight away. Turn it down or turn it off is a great motto for fighting the higher bills.”

British Gas, which recorded a 44 per cent increase in its profits to £118million last year, despite hitting the headlines for its poor customer service and failure to fix broken boilers in recent months, urged customers to switch off devices at the mains in a bid to manage the escalating energy crisis.

Do not “fill the kettle if only making one cup of tea” and avoid overcharging mobile phones and laptops, it added.