Bobby Seagull: maths lessons needed on bills for children on GSCE results day

With high energy bills now the new normal, managing household energy use has become a vital life skill for households trying to stay afloat.

As families brace for back-to-school costs, and with GCSE results day on Thursday, new research shows that teaching children simple energy-saving habits is a much-needed life lesson and could lead to savings of around £16,500 over a person’s lifetime.

Based on Ofgem’s current estimate of the average household shelling out £1,733 a year to pay energy bills, that’s a decade of savings that is going under the radar.

The Energy Saving Trust, on behalf of Smart Energy GB, considered eight energy saving behaviours introduced at ages 5, 9, 13 and 16, then projected how those habits add up across a lifetime. The study analysed energy efficient changes like switching off the TV when doing something else at age 5, taking under four minutes showers at age 9, turning down a bedroom radiator before school at 13 and only using a dishwasher on a full load at 16.

Aston spoke to teacher and broadcaster Bobby Seagull.

Photo by Nguyen Dang Hoang Nhu on Unsplash