With another 10 percent bump in energy bills looming, state pensioners who have been stripped of their £300 Winter Fuel Payment this season will be looking for ways to save money. Consumer magazine Which? has offered a handy tip: unplugging devices that use a surprising amount of energy and add to your bill, even when not in use.
While appliances that consume high amounts of energy such as tumble dryers, ovens, and boilers are expensive to run, their utility in the home feels justifiable. Yet, some devices merely linger in standby mode, costing money without being actively useful. According to Which? wireless speakers/smart speakers and sound bars are notorious for consuming energy on standby.
They stated: “They’re the most power-hungry gadgets in standby, costing around £6 per year (based on 20 standby hours per day).”, reports Derbyshire Live.
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Although £6 might appear inconsequential, it accumulates with each speaker potentially sapping an extra £6 for idleness alone. Worthwhile to scrutinise are PCs, gaming consoles, and TVs, which are often never fully switched off, instead remaining on standby so they can be turned on instantly.
However, due to modern design, a PC only takes a few seconds longer to start up from a cold start than from standby. Therefore, leaving it on standby only adds to your bills without any significant benefit.
This warning comes as state pensioners are at risk of losing their £300 Winter Fuel Payment unless they are receiving Pension Credit. Martin Lewis has highlighted that as many as 800,000 people who should be claiming this benefit aren’t doing so.