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UK electricity prices compared with the world
Last updated . Figures refresh every night. How each figure is worked out.
In 2024, the UK had the highest industrial electricity prices of the 25 International Energy Agency member countries at 26.63p a kWh including taxes, against a median of 16.33p. For households the UK is among the highest but not the highest: 30.45p a kWh, ranking 2 of 27. Both figures come from DESNZ's international comparison tables, derived from IEA data and converted at annual average exchange rates.
Figure as of 1 July 2024. Source: DESNZ, derived from IEA Energy Prices and Taxes, DESNZ, derived from IEA Energy Prices and Taxes.
Key figures
- 30.45pUK household electricity a kWh, 2024 down on a year earlier: −5.45p (−15.2%) vs 1 July 2023
- 2 of 27UK rank for household prices, dearest first IEA median 20.89p
- 26.63pUK industrial electricity a kWh, 2024 down on a year earlier: −0.52p (−1.9%) vs 1 July 2023
- 1 of 25UK rank for industrial prices, dearest first IEA median 16.33p
- €0.2896EU average household electricity a kWh up on a year earlier: +€0.0009 (+0.3%) vs 1 July 2024
Sources: DESNZ, derived from IEA Energy Prices and Taxes, Eurostat.
Where does the UK rank for household electricity?
For households the UK is among the highest but not the highest: 2nd of 27 IEA members in 2024. Exchange rates move these rankings year to year, so a one-place change is not meaningful; the UK sitting in the top handful is.
Where does the UK rank for business electricity?
The UK has the highest industrial electricity prices of the 25 IEA members in the 2024 table, and it was also highest in the previous year's table. Businesses carry more of the policy costs than households do, which is much of why the industrial gap is wider than the household one.
What about gas?
Gas is a different story. UK household gas prices are around or below the European median. The EU average household gas price is €0.1228 a kWh on Eurostat's latest half-year, against €0.2896 for electricity. The UK's own capped gas rate is 7.97p a kWh.
Why is the UK so high?
Not mainly because of tax at the point of sale: the UK is dearest even before taxes. Why UK electricity is so expensive sets out the five reasons in full — gas setting the marginal price, carbon costs, policy levies on electricity rather than gas, network and balancing costs, and the absence of the large hydro or nuclear fleets that make power cheap elsewhere.
Common questions
- Does the UK have the most expensive electricity in Europe?
- For households, no: the UK ranks 2 of 27 IEA member countries in 2024 at 30.45p a kWh. It is among the highest, not the highest.
- Does UK industry pay the highest electricity prices in the world?
- Among IEA members, yes: 26.63p a kWh in 2024, the highest of 25, against a median of 16.33p.
- Are UK gas prices high too?
- No. UK household gas prices are around or below the European median. The gap is specific to electricity.
Use this data
The figures belong to the bodies that published them and are used under their terms, listed in Sources for this page; most are Crown copyright under the Open Government Licence. Only our own words, analysis, charts and derived calculations are ours, published under CC BY 4.0: reuse them, including commercially, if you credit Tekstak Ltd and link back to this page.
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- UK household electricity price, annual (IEA basis): get it from DESNZ, derived from IEA Energy Prices and Taxes DESNZ, derived from IEA Energy Prices and Taxes: IEA terms (IEA data is excluded from the Open Government Licence) link only
- UK industrial electricity price, annual: get it from DESNZ, derived from IEA Energy Prices and Taxes DESNZ, derived from IEA Energy Prices and Taxes: IEA terms (IEA data is excluded from the Open Government Licence) link only
- EU average household electricity price, semi-annual (CSV) JSON Eurostat: CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat)
- All data, field definitions and licences
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Sources for this page
| Source | Publisher | Figures as of | Updated | Licence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial electricity prices in the IEA (QEP 5.3.1) | DESNZ, derived from IEA Energy Prices and Taxes | 1 July 2024 | annual | IEA terms (IEA data is excluded from the Open Government Licence) link only |
| Domestic electricity prices in the IEA (QEP 5.5.1) | DESNZ, derived from IEA Energy Prices and Taxes | 1 July 2024 | annual | IEA terms (IEA data is excluded from the Open Government Licence) link only |
| Electricity prices for household consumers (nrg_pc_204) | Eurostat | 1 July 2025 | semiannual | CC BY 4.0 (Eurostat) |
Each source's figures are used under the licence shown. Our own words, analysis, charts and derived calculations are ours, under CC BY 4.0.