WHY DID MY BILLS HAVE TO ROCKET, MAN? SIR ELTON’S POWER BILL SOARS TO £77,000 A YEAR AMID ENERGY CRISIS

• Sir Elton John’s £6 million Windsor mansion is now estimated to cost more than £77,000 a year to power — up 76% in a year due to the energy crisis[1]
• Rocketman star’s 3,000-square-metre house is 33 times larger than the average UK home[2], and his energy bill is 43 times bigger than most households’[3] 
• The power bill for Tamara Ecclestone’s’ £70 million London pad has increased from £30,000 to £52,000 in the same period[4]
• Taylor Swift is likely to be paying £8,000 a year for energy at the £7 million Primrose Hill townhouse she shares with Conversations With Friends star Joe Alwyn[4] 
• Swimming pools, hot tubs, saunas, steam rooms and even recording studios and pubs add thousands to the electricity bills of celebrity homes
• Uswitch.com offers tips for consumers on how to reduce their household energy usage. 

The power bill at Sir Elton John’s £6 million mansion has rocketed to £77,000 a year due to the energy crisis[1]. 

The Rocket Man singer’s 3,000-square-metre property puts him top of the list when it comes to celebrity gas and electricity spending[4], and his bills are more than £30,000 a year higher than they were a year ago.

According to Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service, Sir Elton’s energy costs are more than double the national average income[5], and more than 39 times the average household’s bill of £1,971 a year[3] — which isn’t surprising since his 3,000 sq m home is 33 times the size of the average 90.18 sq m UK house[2]
 

Socialite Tamara Ecclestone has the next biggest celebrity bill, thanks to the 52 rooms at her  £70 million mansion on Kensington Palace Gardens. Her cinema and indoor swimming pool play a part in her £52,410 annual gas and electricity costs — up from £30,610 in 2021[4].

Former Take That singer Robbie Williams’ ten-bedroom home in Holland Park, London, has the next biggest celebrity bill, now costing an estimated £48,993 in gas and electricity — up from £30,030 in 2021. Adding to his power costs are a gym, home cinema, 22 bathrooms and a swimming pool[4]. Naked Chef Jamie Oliver’s impressive Spains Hall home in Essex costs an estimated £48,561 a year in power bills — up from £28,854[4]. 

Singing superstar Taylor Swift is currently living in a £7 million Primrose Hill townhouse with Conversations With Friends actor Joe Alwyn. The energy bill for the six-bedroom home is likely to be £8,508, up from £4,703 in 2021[4].
 

Other notable celebrity homes include Ed Sheeran’s collection of properties in Suffolk dubbed ‘Sheeranville’. A swimming pool, a pub and a recording studio all go towards making his energy cost an estimated £30,383 — a 58% increase on 2021’s £19,271 bill[4].

Table - Top of the shocks! Celebrity energy bills estimated

Source: Uswitch.com.
 

Uswitch.com is offering celebrities — and people in more modest households — some tips and tricks to cut their energy bills in its guide to reducing your power costs.

Will Owen, energy expert at Uswitch.com, comments: “After opening his energy bills this year, we’ll be amazed if Sir Elton is still standing. 

“While celebrities are being affected by soaring energy costs, the average person will be feeling the impact disproportionately worse, as bills make up a greater proportion of their income. 

“Celebrity or not, there’s always a benefit to keeping down the amount of energy you use. For most of us, it can be as simple as closing windows, turning off lights when you leave the room, but Sir Elton may want to consider turning down the temperature of his swimming pool.

“It is more important than ever that people stay engaged with the energy market and sign up to alerts to inform them when better deals become available.

“If you're struggling with your energy bills, contact your supplier as soon as possible. It’s also worth checking what grants and schemes might be available to help cover your bills, particularly if you or someone you know is vulnerable.” 

Top tips for reducing your energy use at home 

• Take advantage of the summer: While the weather is warmer you can dry your clothes outside on the washing line rather than using a tumble dryer. Longer days also mean you will not need to have the lights for as long as you would in winter.  
• Only use appliances when full: Washing machines and dishwashers can use a lot of energy, but if you only use them when they are full it will help you save energy, saving you money overall.
• Reduce the temperature on your washing machine: You can save energy by running colder washes in the washing machine. Washing your clothes at 30 degrees rather than 40 can reduce your washing bills by a third.
• Only use what you need: When boiling a kettle or cooking on the hob, only use as much water as you need as it will use more energy to boil the excess liquid. 
• Check your freezer: You should keep an eye on your freezer to make sure it is not full of ice, as this will stop it from performing as efficiently.

Find out how you could save with Uswitch in the new cost-of-living hub here.

References

1. Sir Elton John’s Woodside mansion. Wikipedia. Architectural Digest. Ovo Energy estimates 200kWh per m2 for an old house, 150kWh per m2 for a modern house, and 100kWh per m2 for a new house. Average price of gas is 7.37p/kWh. Calculation: 3,008m2 x 200kWh/m2 x 0.0737 = £44,337.92. Cost of running a swimming pool estimated at £5,000 a year. Average UK electricity bill is £821.86. Average UK house is 90.18m2. £821.86 / 90.18m2 = £9.11 per m2. £9.11 x 3,008m2 = £27,403. Gas standing charge = £99 / year. Electricity standing charge = £165.50 / year. Total energy cost = £44,338 + £27,403 + £5,000 + £99 + £165.50 = £77,005. Sir Elton’s bill in 2021 was estimated at £43,838. (£77,005 - £43,838) / £43,828 = 75.6% increase from 2021 to 2022.

2. ONS: House price per square metre and house price per room, England and Wales: 2004 to 2016

3. Ofgem: Bills, prices and profits, June 2020.

4. See table in release. Full workings available to journalists upon request.

5. ONS: Employee earnings in the UK. Median weekly earnings for full-time employees are £585. £77,005 / £585 x 52 = 230%.