Average energy bill for a 3 bed house
Updated 25 September 2026. Every figure on this page comes from our published model; see how accurate it is.
A 3 bed semi with average insulation and gas central heating costs about £1,838 a year, or £153 a month, at the Ofgem price cap for October to December 2026. That is about £985 for gas and £853 for electricity, both including their standing charges.
Average bill by type of 3 bed home
Gas is the larger part of the bill, and gas use depends on the size and type of the home. Heating use comes from government meter data for 39,502 gas heated homes; electricity for lights, appliances and cooking is scaled by home size from Ofgem's typical consumption figures.
| Home, average insulation, gas heating | A year | A month | Heating | Everything else |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 bed semi | £1,838 | £153 | £985 | £853 |
| 3 bed detached | £1,931 | £161 | £1,041 | £890 |
How insulation changes it
Insulation changes the heating part of the bill. These are the bills for the same 3 bed semi at each level of insulation, measured the government's way: comparing homes of the same type and size with different EPC bands.
| Insulation | A year | A month |
|---|---|---|
| Poorly insulated | £1,934 | £161 |
| Average | £1,838 | £153 |
| Well insulated | £1,707 | £142 |
| Recently retrofitted | £1,505 | £125 |
How your heating fuel changes it
Everything else on the bill stays the same whatever heats the home, so this table only changes the heating part. Heat pump running costs use the median efficiency measured in 428 homes in the government's Electrification of Heat trial.
| Heating | A year | A month |
|---|---|---|
| Mains gas boiler | £1,838 | £153 |
| Oil boiler | £1,901 | £158 |
| LPG boiler | £1,959 | £163 |
| Electric heating, standard rate | £3,459 | £288 |
| Heat pump, standard rate | £1,790 | £149 |
| Heat pump, 18p heat pump tariff | £1,494 | £125 |
Gas bills include the £108.33 a year gas standing charge; homes without gas do not pay it. Electricity includes the £200.13 standing charge in every row. Oil and LPG are September 2026 market prices.
Check your own bill
Put your own annual bill into the bill checker to see how far it sits from a home like yours, or see bills by number of people and bills by EPC rating. To cut the bill, the retrofit plan puts the upgrades for your home in order, with what each saves.
Get quotes to upgrade your home
Tell us about your property and we will pass your request to up to three certified installers who cover your postcode and do the work you choose. It is free and there is no obligation to go ahead.
- Certified installers only
- Heat pumps, solar and insulation
- Free, with no obligation
Frequently asked questions
What is the average energy bill for a 3 bed house?
About £1,838 a year, or £153 a month, for a 3 bed semi with average insulation heated by mains gas, at the Ofgem price cap for October to December 2026. That includes both standing charges.
How much gas does a 3 bed house use?
A 3 bed semi with average insulation uses about 11,000 kWh of gas a year for heating, hot water and any gas cooking, from government meter data. A poorly insulated one uses about 12,210 kWh and a well insulated one about 9,350 kWh.
Why is my bill higher than this?
The usual reasons are a colder than average home, more people in it, being at home in the day, or a tariff above the price cap. Our bill checker compares your own bill with a home like yours.
Data sources
- DESNZ, National Energy Efficiency Data-Framework 2026.
- Ofgem, energy price cap, October to December 2026.
- Energy Systems Catapult for DESNZ, Electrification of Heat trial, heat pump performance report, December 2024.