Live Direct Debit rates for UK average since 1 October 2026. Typical home: 9,500 kWh of gas a year.
The short answer
Ofgem's typical UK household uses 9,500 kWh of gas a year for heating and hot water. At today's price of 7.97p per kWh, that's £757 of gas, plus the daily standing charge of 29.68p, which adds £108 a year. In total, about £865 a year, or roughly £72.12 a month on average.
Your bill won't be the same every month. Most gas is used between November and March, so winter bills can be two or three times the summer ones.
What does a boiler cost per hour?
Boilers don't run flat out all the time. They turn their flame up and down (modulate) and switch off once the house is warm. As a guide:
| Boiler working at | Gas used per hour | Cost per hour |
|---|---|---|
| Full power (24 kW combi, heating) | about 28 kWh | £2.23 |
| Half power | about 14 kWh | £1.12 |
| Low, keeping a warm house warm | about 5 kWh | 40p |
| Hot water for a shower (combi, 30 kW) | about 35 kWh | £2.79 |
The hourly cost while the boiler is firing sounds high, but it rarely fires continuously. A typical home's 9,500 kWh a year averages out at about £2.07 of gas a day.
Typical yearly costs by home size
| Home | Gas a year (typical) | Gas cost | With standing charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flat or small house | 7,500 kWh | £598 | £706 |
| Typical home (Ofgem) | 9,500 kWh | £757 | £865 |
| Larger house | 13,500 kWh | £1,076 | £1,184 |
| Large or poorly insulated house | 17,000 kWh | £1,355 | £1,463 |
How to cut what your boiler costs
- Turn the flow temperature down to around 60°C on a combi. It's free and can save around 9% of your gas. How to do it.
- Use the timer rather than leaving the heating on low all day. Why that's usually cheaper.
- Turn the thermostat down 1°C. Small changes to the room temperature make a real difference over a winter.
- Get your boiler serviced so it keeps running at its best efficiency.
Put in your own gas use with the heating cost calculator, or compare with a heat pump.
Sources: Ofgem typical consumption values, Ofgem price cap via Uswitch, Octopus Energy tariff data.