Millions of households across the UK are being urged to take immediate action against so-called ‘vampire devices’ that could be silently draining their finances.
Energy specialists have calculated that British families could pocket more than £140 annually simply by disconnecting appliances when they are not being used.
Many common household appliances continue to use electricity even when left on standby, quietly pushing up energy bills without homeowners realising, according to research by Electric Radiators Direct.
The warning comes as the Ofgem energy price cap rose by 0.2 per cent at the start of January 2026, lifting the typical dual-fuel bill for households paying by Direct Debit to £1,758 a year.
With temperatures dropping sharply across the UK, households are relying more heavily on heating, making careful energy use more important than ever.
As a result, millions of customers across major energy suppliers, including Octopus Energy, British Gas, E.ON Next, OVO Energy, EDF Energy and ScottishPower, could be wasting money through appliances left on standby instead of being switched off at the plug.
Energy experts are now urging households to review their electricity use, warning that failing to fully turn off appliances could mean paying far more than necessary.
Energy experts are urging households to take a closer look at how they use electricity
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PASome of the most expensive devices to leave on standby per year are:
- Desktop computer: £20.38
- Speaker/Digital radio: £10.67
Collectively, these standby devices are costing British households £12.36 every month, roughly the same as the cost of a premium streaming subscription.
Over a year, this adds up to £145 spent on appliances that are effectively not being used.
Leaving the air fryer plugged in can cost an extra £4.37 each month
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AldiThis figure accounts for more than 16 per cent of the average annual energy bill, which is almost the equivalent of paying for two months of energy to power appliances that are not being used.
While the Ofgem price cap limits how much suppliers can charge per unit of gas and electricity on standard variable tariffs, households may still be undermining potential savings by leaving devices plugged in when they do not need to be.
Stephen Hankinson, an energy efficiency expert at Electric Radiators Direct, said standby mode simply puts devices into a low-power state rather than switching them off completely.
“This means that it will be drawing out some electricity in the background, which is where the phrase ‘vampire device’ comes from,” he says.
Millions of households could be paying more without even knowing
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GETTY“It sounds so simple but switching your appliances off at the wall really is the best way to ensure you’re not spending your hard-earned income on keeping things in standby mode.”
Mr Hankinson notes that £145 could fund a substantial grocery shop, two tanks of fuel, or a restaurant meal.
However, he advises keeping one appliance permanently connected: “The one device we recommend to not turn off is the fridge freezer, unless you want to come home to spoiled goods.”