Electricity will cost 33.2p per kWh from April: here's how much your appliances will cost to run

As part of the Spring Budget, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has agreed to leave the Energy Price Guarantee at its current level for the next three months.

That means that what you pay for gas and electricity should stay roughly the same from 1 April until 1 July. 

More on: How the government's EPG U-turn will affect your bills

However the unit rates you pay will still drop slightly, which will affect how much each of your appliances costs to run. We’ve rerun the numbers to show exactly how much you’ll be spending around the house. Scroll down to find out.

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Why are energy prices changing if the EPG is the same?

The EPG is a limit on how much you pay for a single unit of energy (a kilowatt hour). It’s not a cap on your total bill. That depends on how much gas and electricity you use. 

The headline figure of a £2,500 annual energy bill is based on a ‘typical’ household using a ‘medium’ amount of gas and electricity (12,000kWh gas and 2,900kWh electricity).

It includes both the rates you pay for each individual unit of energy, plus the standing charges you pay each day regardless of how much you use. Energy regulator Ofgem sets these standing charges, and they are slightly increasing. That means the electricity unit rates are also slightly decreasing to balance out the total bill to meet the government's £2,500 cap.

If you pay for your energy by direct debit and live in England, Scotland or Wales, the unit rates from 1 April will be:

• 33.2p/kWh of electricity (slight decrease from 34p)
• 10.3/kWh of gas (no change)

These figures are averages, though, and are slightly different by region. Your energy provider will tell you the exact amount you’ll be paying for each unit of energy you use – wait for it to get in touch. 

If you are still on a fixed deal (where you have a contract for certain rates for a specific length of time), you’ll be protected in the same way as customers on standard or variable deals. This means that if the EPG rates we’ve listed above are lower than what you’re currently paying, then you’ll pay the EPG prices instead.

Read more about the energy price guarantee and how it affects your gas and electricity bills.

New appliance running costs from April 2023

The slightly changed average electricity rate means that your electrical appliances will cost a fraction less to run from April. 

Our lab tests measure how much energy appliances use. We use this to calculate how much they’ll cost to run using the most popular programmes and settings. Then we multiply this up to reveal how much they’ll add to your energy bills over a month or a year.

For our calculations, we presume you’re paying the average rate for electricity from the government and use an example scenario of how often each appliance is used by the average household. So if you use your appliances particularly often or irregularly, you’ll need to scale our numbers up or down.

Note that these prices are only due to be in place for the next three months. 

Check your own appliance energy costs

If you are in the market for a new appliance, or simply want to check how much yours is costing you to run, all of our product reviews for large electrical appliances now include an annual running cost figure for each individual model based on the most recent energy price cap. 

See the latest running costs for all models in our reviews of: washing machines, tumble dryers, washer dryers, fridge freezers, fridges, freezers, wine coolers, built-in ovens, freestanding cookers, range cookers, dishwashers, air fryers, kettles, TVs.

How much does it cost to run my washing machine?

From 1 April, average annual washing machine running costs will be just under £76, or £6.30 a month. 

The average household uses their washing machine four times a week: 208 times per year.

Your own costs could be higher or lower depending on your machine’s capacity, as well as your usage. 

Smaller capacity machines cost less to run than larger ones, but a larger one is more practical if you’re frequently washing lots of laundry. 

The cheapest-to-run washing machine that we've tested will now cost £31 a year, while the most expensive will cost £112.

You can save money on your bills with an energy-efficient washing machine. Check out which washing machines earn our Eco Buy label, or compare individual product running costs in our washing machine reviews.

How much does it cost to run my dishwasher?

 If you run your main dishwasher program five times a week, your average annual running cost for a full-size fully integrated dishwasher will be £84. Per month, it’ll cost an average £7. 

For a slimline freestanding dishwasher, it’s now £104.50, or £8.70 a month.

The most expensive-to-run dishwasher we’ve tested would cost nearly £124 over a year (£10.30 a month), while the cheapest to run would be £54 (£4.50 a month). So if you're buying a new one, it's worth looking out for an energy efficient dishwasher or checking running cost data in our dishwasher reviews.

How much does it cost to run my tumble dryer?

Average annual heat pump tumble dryer running costs will be £69 (£5.75/month) from 1 April. The priciest heat pump tumble dryer will now cost £103 (£8.60/month).

Owners of condenser tumble dryers – the most energy-hungry type – pay considerably more to run them. Average annual running costs will be nearly £168 (£14/month) from April. The most expensive condenser model will cost £229 a year (£19/month).

That's assuming you run a cotton cupboard-dry program three times a week.

If you're buying a new tumble dryer, buy a heat pump model with lower running costs. Our tumble dryer reviews reveal the best.

How much does it cost to run my fridge freezer?

Fridge-freezers account for a large part of your electricity bill, as they are on all the time and use a fair amount of power to keep your food cold. 

The average running cost will be £108 a year from April – or £9 a month.

The most costly-to-run fridge freezer on test would now set you back nearly £212 in annual running costs, or £17 a month. 

There’s a significant difference depending on what type of appliance you have though. The average integrated fridge freezer will cost nearly £89 a year (£7.40/month), while a freestanding model would be £98 (£8.16/month), and the average power-hungry American-style model will set you back £143 over a year (£11.91/month).

So if you're buying a new one, it's really worth making sure it's the right model to suit your home. 

Find out how to choose an energy efficient fridge freezer, or compare energy use data in our fridge freezer, fridge, and freezer reviews.

How much does it cost to run my built-in oven?

On average each year, you’ll be paying £76 a year or £6.33 a month for a double electric oven. 

As gas is staying the same price, an average double gas oven will still cost £38 a year to run. Owners of single electric ovens will pay around £77 a year, or £6.40 a month, if they use it an average amount.

Compare annual running costs in our built-in oven reviews.

Find more tips for saving energy in the kitchen and where to get help if you're struggling to pay your energy bills