‘Vampire devices’ cost UK households £147 a year

UK households could save an average of £147 a year by switching off so-called vampire devices.

Vampire devices are electronic devices that use a surprising amount of power, even when in standby mode.

British Gas research shows that UK households spend £2.2 billion a year just to leave vampire appliances on standby.

This equates to £147 a year for the average household – the equivalent of two months’ electricity bills.

A 54% increase in the energy price cap has meant that a household using a typical amount of gas and electricity now has to pay £1,971 a year.

Sara Gerritsma is feeling the pressure in Leicestershire.

“The bill would be between £70 and £80,” she says.

“It was just over 120 pounds this month.

“It took a lot of tears, a lot of nights lying awake in bed just like, ‘I don’t know how we’re going to do this.’

“I don’t know how to make this pot of money work.

“And it’s a never-ending field of stress right now.”

The bills could run even higher, Energy UK Deputy Director Dhara Vyas told BBC News.

“We’re seeing really big price hikes right now,” she said.

“We don’t know for sure yet because global gas prices remain volatile.

“Some estimates say we can expect bills of up to £3,000 this winter.”

As long as devices are plugged into the wall, they slowly draw current.

Smart speakers, laptops, and internet routers all cost to stay connected.

It can be convenient to leave the TV on standby and wake it up with the press of a button on a remote control – but it costs £24.61 a year, the research says, plus a further £23.10 for a set-top box , such as from Sky or Virgin Media.

Games consoles on standby cost an average of £12.17, while computers could cost around £11.22.

And there’s more:

British Gas energy expert Marc Robson recommends plugging appliances into an extension cord that can be switched off at night – or using smart plugs.

“There are smart plugs that you can buy that you can use to check from your phone that everything is off,” he says.

“Try turning off mains power devices at night or when not in use, rather than putting them on standby, as even a TV’s standby light uses energy.

“Try not to overload your cell phone and laptop unnecessarily.

“Once your device is charged, try to make a habit of unplugging it.

“This not only saves energy, but also extends battery life.

“The in-home display of a smart meter can help to see how much energy is being used at different times of the day, so you can see where energy is wasted.”