How Much Does It Cost to Run a Electric heater in the UK?
Last updated 5 October 2026 · Prices based on the Ofgem price cap (October 2026 – December 2026)
Plug-in electric heaters are 100% efficient at turning electricity into heat, but electricity costs over three times more per kWh than gas, so they are an expensive way to warm a whole home. They make sense for heating one small room for a short time while the central heating stays off.
Appliance running cost calculator
A 2,000W electric heater running 5 hours a day costs about £2.63 per day (£958 a year) at 26.32p/kWh.
- Per hour
- £0.53
- Per day
- £2.63
- Per week
- £18
- Per month
- £80
- Per year
- £958
- kWh per year
- 3,640
Based on 2000W ÷ 1,000 × 5h × 26.32p/kWh. Standing charge not included.
- Electric heater£958
- Immersion heater£575
- Oil-filled radiator£503
- Fan heater£383
- Electric shower£155
- Dehumidifier£153
- Tumble dryer£137
- Fridge freezer£114
- Electric oven£99
- Dishwasher£92
- Heated airer£74
- Kettle£57
- Washing machine£55
- Air fryer£51
- Slow cooker£44
- Electric blanket£10
Electric heater running cost by wattage and time (at 26.32p/kWh)
| Wattage | 1 hr | 3 hrs | 5 hrs | 8 hrs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500W | £0.13 | £0.39 | £0.66 | £1.05 |
| 1,000W | £0.26 | £0.79 | £1.32 | £2.11 |
| 1,500W | £0.39 | £1.18 | £1.97 | £3.16 |
| 2,000W | £0.53 | £1.58 | £2.63 | £4.21 |
| 3,000W | £0.79 | £2.37 | £3.95 | £6.32 |
Typical electric heater cost per day, month and year
| Period | Energy used | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Per hour | 2.00 kWh | £0.53 |
| Per day | 10.00 kWh | £2.63 |
| Per month | 303.3 kWh | £80 |
| Per year | 3640 kWh | £958 |
What affects the cost
Wattage setting
Most heaters have 1kW, 2kW and 3kW settings. Cost rises in direct proportion.
Thermostat
With a thermostat the heater cycles off once the room is warm, cutting actual use by 30–50%.
Room insulation
A draughty room loses heat as fast as the heater produces it.
Your tariff
Economy 7 or time-of-use tariffs can make overnight use cheaper.
How electric heater running costs are calculated
The calculation uses the heater's power, the time it runs and the electricity unit rate. Divide watts by 1,000 to convert them to kilowatts, multiply by hours to find kilowatt-hours, then multiply by the unit rate. At 26.32p per kWh, a 2,000W heater running continuously for one hour uses 2kWh and costs £0.53. The same heater for five hours costs £2.63 if its element stays on throughout. The number printed on a heater is usually its maximum input. A model with 1kW and 2kW settings uses about half as much on the lower setting while the element is energised, but it also gives half the heat. A thermostatic heater switches the element off after the room reaches its set temperature, so measured use can be lower than the maximum calculation. Use the table for a worst-case continuous cost and the calculator with the settings that match your routine. Your own tariff rate from a bill is more accurate than the GB-average price-cap default. The standing charge is excluded because you pay it whether the heater is switched on or not.
Fan heaters, convectors, oil-filled radiators and panels
Direct electric room heaters all turn almost all the electricity they use into heat in the room. A 2kW fan heater, 2kW convector and 2kW oil-filled radiator therefore cost the same while their elements are drawing full power. The differences are how quickly heat is delivered, how it feels and how controls manage runtime. Fan heaters move warm air quickly and suit a short burst in an occupied room. They can be noisy and feel cool soon after switching off. Convectors warm rising air and can heat a room evenly, but warmth is easily lost through draughts. Oil-filled radiators take longer to warm and release stored heat after the element switches off. That retained heat is not free energy; it changes delivery and can help a thermostat maintain a steady room temperature. Infrared and radiant panels warm people and surfaces in their line of sight. They can be useful where only one occupied zone needs warmth. Marketing names do not override the basic kWh calculation. Better controls and targeted use can lower consumption, but direct resistance heaters cannot multiply heat output like a heat pump.
When a plug-in heater can cost less overall
Direct electric heat is expensive per kWh, yet a small heater can still reduce the total bill in a limited situation: one person needs one room warm for a short period and the alternative is heating a much larger property. The saving comes from reducing the area and time heated, not from the plug-in heater being a cheaper source of each unit of heat. For example, targeted heat during a short home-working session may be sensible if central heating would otherwise warm several empty rooms. The comparison becomes less favourable as the session lengthens, more rooms need heat or other people are at home. Running several 2kW heaters can quickly cost more than using an efficient whole-home system. Comfort also matters. Heated throws and electric blankets warm the person with far less power than a room heater. They are not substitutes where the building must be kept warm enough to protect health, pipes or damp-prone rooms, but they can reduce the room temperature needed for sedentary activities. Always balance cost with safe indoor temperatures for children, older people and anyone with a health condition.
Electric heater versus gas central heating
At the current shared rates, direct electric heat costs 26.32p for each kWh delivered to a room. Gas costs 7.97p per kWh of fuel. Allowing for the shared 88% boiler-efficiency assumption, useful gas heat costs about 9.1p per kWh, before considering the gas standing charge. Gas central heating is therefore normally much cheaper for sustained whole-home heating. That does not mean switching on a boiler always wins for a ten-minute task. A boiler heats water, pipes and usually several radiators, while a portable heater can target one spot immediately. Compare the whole session: how much of the home is heated, for how long, and whether the gas connection is already being paid for. If gas is used elsewhere in the home, its standing charge should not be assigned solely to heating. If a property is fully electric, storage heaters charged at off-peak rates or a heat pump can be more economical than portable heaters for regular heating. Portable electric heaters are best treated as local or occasional equipment, not a routine replacement for a properly designed heating system.
Thermostats, timers and real-world consumption
A thermostat does not make the element more efficient. It reduces consumption by stopping the element when the room reaches the chosen temperature and restarting it as the room cools. In an insulated room, this can materially lower energy use after warm-up. In a draughty room on a cold day, the element may stay on almost continuously because heat escapes as quickly as it is supplied. Set the thermostat to the lowest comfortable level rather than maximum. Turning it to maximum does not make a fixed-output heater warm the room faster; it usually keeps heating for longer. A timer prevents forgotten use and can pre-warm an occupied room without running all day. Smart plugs can add schedules, but only use one that is specifically rated for the heater's electrical load and permitted by both manufacturers. Measure rather than guess if the heater is used regularly. Record kWh over several representative days with an appropriate energy monitor, then multiply by the tariff rate. This captures thermostat cycling and provides a realistic weekly or monthly estimate.
Using portable heaters safely
Place a portable heater on a stable surface with the clearances stated in its manual. Keep it away from curtains, bedding, clothes, furniture and anything that can burn. Never drape laundry over it. Do not use a portable room heater where water exposure is possible unless the manufacturer specifically rates it for that location. Plug high-power heaters directly into a suitable wall socket. Extension leads, multi-socket adaptors and overloaded plugs can overheat. Stop using equipment with a damaged cable, loose plug, scorch marks or unusual smell. Do not leave a portable heater operating unattended, and keep children and pets away from hot surfaces or tip hazards. Choose a model with appropriate overheat and tip-over protection, follow the recall and registration advice from the manufacturer, and test smoke alarms regularly. Safety controls reduce risk but do not make poor placement safe. If sockets become hot or breakers trip, switch the heater off and seek competent electrical advice rather than repeatedly resetting the circuit.
Cheaper alternatives to a electric heater
• Heat only the room you're in with a thermostat-controlled oil-filled radiator • An electric blanket costs pennies per night instead of heating a bedroom • Gas central heating on a timer is usually cheaper per kWh of heat • A heat pump delivers three units of heat per unit of electricity
How to reduce the cost
- Use the lowest setting that keeps you comfortable — a 1kW setting halves the cost of 2kW
- Choose a model with a built-in thermostat and timer
- Close doors and fit draught excluders so the heat stays in one room
- Never leave a heater running in an empty room
Frequently asked questions
How much does a electric heater cost per hour in the UK?
About £0.53 per hour for a 2,000W model at 26.32p/kWh.
How do I work out what my electric heater costs to run?
Divide the wattage by 1,000 to get kW, multiply by the hours used, then multiply by your unit rate in pence. Our calculator above does this for you.
Is an electric heater cheaper than central heating?
Only if you are heating one small room for a short time. Per kWh of heat, gas central heating costs around 9p versus 26p for a direct electric heater at the current price cap.
Do 'energy-saving' electric heaters really use less?
No heater produces more than 1kWh of heat per kWh of electricity. Savings come from thermostats and timers that switch the heater off, not from a special element.
Does the standing charge affect appliance running costs?
No. The electricity standing charge is a fixed daily fee you pay whether or not the appliance is on, so it is excluded from these figures.
Sources and methodology
Energy prices come from the Ofgem price cap for Direct Debit customers (GB average). Installation costs are typical UK ranges from installer quotes and industry guidance, rounded. Savings use today's rates and do not predict future prices.