Under a new set of Government rules, electrical items such as fridges, washing machines and televisions will become cheaper to run, easier to repair and will last for longer.
That’s because the UK Government has announced new regulations that will limit the amount of energy used by white goods. In total, it’s estimated that the new rules will save the average household around £75 a year on their energy bills.
This will come into effect during the summer and the plans have been welcomed by households and analysts alike. This is because the announcement comes at a time when around 15m households in the UK are set to see their energy bills rise by up to £96 a year when the new price cap comes into force.
Remember though, the new price cap doesn’t take effect until April 1, so you still have time to avoid being hit by an unexpected hike in your bills. By simply running an online energy comparison and switching provider, you could save hundreds of pounds. As an added bonus, you could switch to one of the UK’s best energy suppliers in the process.
- Start saving money: switch provider today
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White goods will live longer and cost less to run
From this summer, the government’s new rules mean that manufacturers will be legally obliged to make spare parts for products available to consumers. This will make it far simpler for white goods to be fixed.
In addition, the government has announced that the new rules will tackle ‘premature obsolescence’ in electrical goods. This is a short lifespan that’s deliberately built into an appliance by manufacturers and leads to unnecessary and costly replacements for the consumer. As a result, according to the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, the new rules will extend the lifespan of most white goods by up to 10 years.
On top of this, the new rules are also set to reduce the amount of electrical waste produced in the UK. At present, the UK generates around 1.5 million tonnes of electrical waste every year. But, the new plan will see much of this eliminated. By reducing the amount of energy products consume over their lifetime, eight mega tonnes of carbon emissions will be eliminated in 2021 alone.
Announcing the scheme, Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: “Our plans to tighten product standards will ensure more of our electrical goods can be fixed rather than thrown on the scrap heap, putting more money back in the pockets of consumers while protecting the environment.
“Going forward, our upcoming energy efficiency framework will push electrical products to use even less energy and material resources, saving people money on their bills and reducing carbon emissions as we work to reach net zero by 2050.”
The new rules reflect what was agreed by the UK when it was an EU member state two years ago. They will apply in Great Britain, while EU rules will continue to apply in Northern Ireland.
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