How much leaving your TV on standby could cost you

You’ve got a scran ready, you’ve just got the cushions in the right position, you’re ready to flick on Netflix and have a big binge.

But then comes that dreaded moment when you click the remote: the TV’s off at the plug.

Yeah sure, it sounds lazy as f**k but leaving the telly on standby just makes life that much easier.

Although, maybe not that much easier as with the hellish cost of living, as doing this could be costing you unnecessary cash.

Ok, let’s not be dramatic, it’s not like leaving things on standby around the house is going to absolutely rocket up your bills each month, but it does add up.

So, if you’re hoping to save a little extra cash on electricity, it could be a good idea to actually get your ar*e off the couch and just turn the TV off at the mains when you’re not watching it.

The price does add up over the course of a year, so it’s worth making the effort to ensure you switch your TV off from the mains when you’re not using it.

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According to figures from EcoCostSavings, the average TV uses 82 watts per hour while you're using it compared to 1.3 watts while in standby mode, and zero watts when it’s completely switched off from the mains.

So, by leaving your TV in standby mode all year you could be adding an extra £11 onto your bill, according to EcoCostSavings.

And this is just for your average model - if your TV is much larger or older, then it’ll cost you more and, of course, if you have more than one TV then you can add another £11 on for each.

Research from energy supplier Utilita has found that in the average UK household,10 items are left on standby - including those that aren’t used regularly.

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In fact, Utilita say an estimated 30 percent of UK households have items on standby that haven’t been used for a whole year.

Archie Lasseter, sustainability lead at Utilita, told 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.”

So, if you’re trying to claw back as much cash as you can then it’s worth taking the effort to make sure you switch your TV off from the mains when you’re not using it.

Topics: Money, TV and Film, Technology, Cost of Living

Jess Battison

Jess is an Entertainment Journalist with a love of all things pop culture. Her main interests include keeping up with the Twitter girlies, waiting for a new series of The Traitors and losing her voice at a Beyoncé concert. She graduated with a first in Journalism from City, University of London in 2021 and has previously worked at MyLondon.

@jessbattison_