Households throughout Britain could slash more than £140 annually from their energy bills. They can do it by performing one straightforward daily routine, specialists have cautioned as Ofgem’s energy price cap climbs once more.

From this month, the energy price cap has risen by 0.2%, driving up electricity and gas costs just as temperatures have dropped and families are consuming additional power to keep warm.

However, energy specialists suggest numerous households are inadvertently squandering money by leaving common appliances connected at the socket.

Fresh research has discovered that gadgets left on standby are costing families £12.36 monthly – exceeding £140 yearly, which amounts to more than 16% of the typical annual energy bill.

The calculations are based on the latest price-capped unit rate that took effect in January 2026.

Specialists caution that appliances remaining plugged in whilst not being used – commonly known as “vampire devices”, although Martin Lewis calls them “demon appliances” – persist in consuming electricity even when they seem to be turned off.

Research carried out by energy specialists at Electric Radiators Direct disclosed that neglecting to disconnect 20 typical household gadgets could cost families as much as £145 annually.

Ten of the most costly devices to leave on standby include:

• Games console – £36.38 per year.
• Gaming PC – £23.52.
• Desktop computer – £20.38.
• TV – £15.28.
• Speaker or digital radio – £10.67.
• Oven – £8.73.
• Kettle – £5.58.
• Microwave – £5.34.
• Air fryer – £4.37.
• Slow cooker – £4.37

Overall, standby devices are costing households £12.36 per month, which experts point out is almost the same as an ad-free Netflix subscription.

The most significant potential savings come from switching off games consoles, which cost around £3.03 a month, adding up to more than £36 a year.

At the opposite end of the spectrum, the most economical appliances to leave on standby include electric hobs, which cost just 5p a month or 65p a year, while lamps cost around 10p a month, or £1.14 annually.

Across all 20 appliances – from kettles to toothbrush chargers – households that leave devices on standby are spending around £145 a year on electricity they are not actively using.

That means Brits are spending 16% of the average yearly energy bill on unused appliances – the equivalent of nearly two months’ worth of bills.

Energy efficiency expert Stephen Hankinson from Electric Radiators Direct warned that standby mode is not the same as switching devices off properly.

He said: “Putting something into standby mode is not the same as totally switching off a device or unplugging it. You’re only really putting the device to sleep. This means that it will be drawing out some electricity in the background, which is where the phrase ‘vampire device’ comes from.

“It sounds so simple but switching your appliances off at the wall really is the best way to ensure you’re not spending your hard-earned income on keeping things in standby mode. The cost of a couple of coffees might not concern you however, £145 is a big food shop, two tanks of petrol or even a nice meal out. There really are much better ways to use this money than giving it to the energy companies.”

He highlighted one crucial exception for households seeking to reduce expenses. “Pro tip: the one device we recommend to not turn off is the fridge freezer, unless you want to come home to spoiled goods.”