Returning to the office one day a week will save £21m on energy bills energy bills

The latest research from Uswitch has revealed that if every British homeowner returns to the office one day a week, a combined £21 million will be saved on home energy bills every single week.

At present, the number of people working from home five days a week is set to drop by 41% when all restrictions are lifted later this month. Of those surveyed, the majority said that their ideal work-from-home combination was three days at home, two days in the office. This would cut bills by £42 million per week.

• Save on your energy bills: find the best deals in your area now

Why people working from home are spending more

According to Uswitch's data, those who are returning to the office after the so-called ‘freedom day’ on July 19 will experience significant savings on their energy bills. 

At home, workers have been using more energy in the past year by having the heating on, using the kettle, cooking lunches and even watching the television more. 

Uswitch’s data has also shown that using electric heaters to warm up garages and outdoor sheds converted into offices could cost homeworkers a collective additional £4.7 million a week on their energy bills, while one extra cycle of the dishwasher each week could add a further £5.2 million.

People working from home can save too

Those who plan to continue working from home either part time or full time can still make savings on their energy bills in the coming months. By cooking using a microwave, unplugging any devices when they are not in use and only using enough water for the number of cups of tea you are making, you’ll save energy and lower your bills in the process.

Plus, if you haven’t switched your energy supplier since the start of the pandemic, you may be able to save hundreds of pounds by switching to a new tariff and locking in a great fixed-term deal. Doing this is simple, too. By running an online energy comparison, you’ll be able to see all of the best energy deals in your area from the country’s best energy suppliers.

To run the comparison, you’ll just need to provide a few basic details about your home and your energy use. After this, you’ll be shown a great range of tariff options. Alongside each, you’ll be shown exactly how much you can save by switching.