British households are reducing their energy consumption as high prices make it increasingly more expensive to run a modern home. New data from the Office for National Statistics indicates that UK households have reduced their energy usage by 25 percent over the past six years.
The biggest motivating force for reduced energy consumption has reportedly been the increasing cost of energy. The average fuel bill has increase by more than 160 percent in the last nine years – from just £522 in the beginning of 2004 to £1,350 during the early months of 2013.
Analysts have expressed concern that the massive increase in energy pricing has left many Britons unable to adequately heat their homes during winter. In response, the country has reduced its energy consumption drastically, to a level that many believe simply isn’t sustainable throughout winter.
As millions of consumers near the end of their fixed-rate energy tariffs, it’s possible that prices could continue to increase for much of the country. Experts warn that it’s vital for consumers coming to the end of a fixed-rate tariff to carefully plan out their long-term energy plans to avoid being ripped off by increasingly high prices.
The Office for National Statistics Report indicates that a 28 percent increase in the cost of energy has occurred in the last three years alone, confirming many Britons’ beliefs that it’s becoming significantly more expensive to maintain a normal standard of living. Harsh climates resulted in some residents being hit with far more costly energy bills than others.
Scotland, for example, managed a modest 14 percent decline in energy consumption over the past six years – a figure that was almost doubled by England. Experts have stated that Scotland and cool regions of England will be affected the most by rising energy costs, as harsh winters make it less practical to reduce energy usage.
