How much cheaper are energy bills when working from home in the summer vs the winter in the UK?
The working landscape looks very different to how it did before the pandemic. Even with offices open for business once again, many Brits have chosen to continue working from the comfort of their homes.
In fact, studies suggest that as many as 39% of Brits still opt to work from home (or “WFH”) at some point in the working week, indicating how homeworking has become an integral part of working culture here in the UK.
However, whilst WFH may come with perks, such as cutting down on the hours and costs of commuting to and from the office every day, it also comes with its own considerations, particularly when it comes to energy bills.
The additional time at home means more time spent running electricity and heating throughout the day, and with the cost of living crisis putting a strain on energy expenses, these costs can quickly add up. But with temperatures rising as we approach summer, how will this impact British homeworkers?
Our researchers have crunched the numbers to compare the average usage and costs of electricity and gas throughout the year and determined 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?
Our 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.
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.



We calculated this using the average summer and winter energy usage in the UK, and based costs of the summer and winter price cap on electricity and gas to estimate the total energy cost for both seasons.
What is the average cost of electricity for homeworkers in the summer vs. the winter?
Our researchers have predicted 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. Brits also use 36% less energy in summer than in winter, and the annual electricity usage in the UK is 2,900 KWh on average.


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?
Based on our calculations, the average cost of gas for homeworkers in the summer is estimated to be £374.40, compared to £1,098 in the winter, making WFH in the winter over £700 more expensive.
This was calculated based on the annual gas usage in the UK, which 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.



Summary
From our research and findings, we can conclude that homeworking is more cost-effective for Brits in the summer. British homeworkers could save over £1,000 on energy bills when WFH in the summer months compared to the winter, with your energy and electricity bills costing you just under 50% less in the summer than in the previous six months.