Saving electricity with a home energy monitor

A home energy monitor is an easy way to see how much electricity you’re using, as you use it, and what it costs. People who fit home energy monitors tend to find their energy use drops by between five and 15 per cent in the first year of using them.

What is a home energy monitor?

A home energy monitor helps you see how much electricity you are using at a given time. It is also known as a 'real time display' or 'RTD'.

A clip from the monitor is attached to the cable from your electricity meter. The current is then measured and transmitted wirelessly to a display that you can keep anywhere in your house.

It isn’t a substitute for your electricity bill, but it can provide a good indication of how much your electricity is costing if you update the monitor with any changes to your tariff.

How much electricity can I save?

The Energy Saving Trust estimates that households in the UK waste around eight per cent of their electricity bill on standby power – that’s about £30 a year for an average household. In addition, £140 million a year is wasted through leaving lights on in unused rooms.

In small-scale trials of home energy monitors, customers have typically saved five to 15 per cent in the first year of owning a monitor, which could be £25 to £75 off a £500 bill.

How do I get one and what do they cost?

There are a number of retailers selling monitors with different functions from £30 to over £100. You can find a retailer by searching online for ‘home energy monitor’.

Help with electricity bills for people with sight problems

If you are registered blind or have a visual impairment you may be able to claim an annual grant towards your electricity and telephone bills.

You must apply for the grant through one of the following:

a social worker who knows you well
rehabilitation officer
Citizens Advice Bureau
an employee or official from a local office for the blind

You can find more information and an application form on the annual grant from the Royal Blind Society website. They also have details of other one-off grants towards the cost of computer software and equipment, holidays and gadgets to help reading and writing.