This is how much leaving your TV on standby costs you

8 April 2022, 11:14 | Updated: 19 April 2022, 13:58

By Naomi Bartram

@naomibartram

How much does it cost to leave your TV on standby? Here’s what we know…

As the cost of living continues to soar, we’re all trying to find ways to reduce costs.

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And one way of cutting down on your electricity bill could be turning off your TV at the mains.

While it might seem like a very small change, the amount of money you could save adds up over the year.

According to EcoCostSavings, the average modern TV - around 43-50-inch - uses 58.5 watts while it’s on, compared to 1.3 watts while it’s on standby.

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How can you try to keep energy bills down?

This means keeping the little red light on could cost you £11 a year, or 3.2 pence per day.

Most households don’t just have one TV, so this could increase to £24 or £36 per year.

If you’ve got an even bigger TV, such as 55-60-inch screen or older model, this is going to use even more energy.

And then there’s the added extras like an Xbox, Sky TV box or Blu Ray player plugged into the mains.

Archie Lasseter, sustainability lead at Utilita, told the Metro: “Standby mode is a real energy drainer – some items use the same amount of energy as when they’re switched on.

“In each home, leaving just one TV on standby can waste up to £16 of electricity a year, which is a staggering £432 million for all UK households.”

Obviously energy costs can vary depending on where you live in the country, what supplier you’re with and your individual usage.

Whether your appliances have a higher or lower power rating will also affect your costs.

This comes after Martin Lewis revealed how you could reduce your broadband and mobile bill by up to £200 a year.

The best thing to do is use a comparison site to help you check all the deals available in one place.

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Sites such as MSE, Uswitch, Broadbandchoices and ComparetheMarket are all good places to start.

The Money Saving Expert also says you could try bringing the price down with your current provider to match a cheaper deal you’ve spotted.

If haggling doesn’t work with your tariff, it might be time to switch, with many companies offering introductory offers for new customers.