How much does an LED bulb cost to run?
At the current price cap, an LED bulb costs about 1.1p per evening (5 hours), or around £3.84 a year with typical use.
LED bulb
- An hour
- 0.2p
- A day used
- 1.1p
- A week
- 7.4p
- A month
- 32p
- Energy a year
- 14.6 kWh
8 W for 5 hours a day, every day, at 26.32p per kWh.
Excludes the daily standing charge, which you pay whatever you use.
How it compares
Yearly cost with typical use, at your unit rate.
LED bulb running costs
At 26.32p per kWh, with typical use of 5 hours a day, every day.
| Period | Energy | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Per evening (5 hours) | 0.04 kWh | 1.1p |
| Per week | 0.28 kWh | 7.4p |
| Per month | 1.22 kWh | 32p |
| Per year | 14.6 kWh | £3.84 |
How the cost varies
A 5 W LED to a 12 W LED, for 5 hours.
| Energy use | Per evening (5 hours) | Per year (typical use) |
|---|---|---|
| Lower | 0.7p | £2.40 |
| Typical | 1.1p | £3.84 |
| Higher | 1.6p | £5.76 |
Home appliances compared
Yearly cost with typical use, at 26.32p per kWh.
| Appliance | Per hour | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Vacuum cleaner | 19.7p | £9.26 |
| LED bulb (this page) | 0.2p | £3.84 |
Ways to spend less
- Swap any remaining old-style bulbs for LEDs. An 8 W LED gives about the same light as a 60 W old-style bulb.
- Look at the lumens on the box, not the watts. Lumens tell you how bright the bulb is.
- Turn lights off in empty rooms. It still saves money with LEDs, even if it's only a little.
How we calculate this
We take a typical LED bulb at 8 watts, used 5 hours a day, every day, and multiply the energy it uses by the Ofgem price cap unit rate of 26.32p per kWh.
One evening (5 hours) uses about 0.04 kWh. Use the calculator above with your own appliance’s power and how you use it for a closer figure.
Questions people ask
How much does an LED bulb cost to run a year?
With typical use (5 hours a day, every day), about £3.84 a year at the current price cap, or 32p a month.
How much cheaper is an LED than an old bulb?
Nearly 90% cheaper to run. An 8 W LED used 5 hours a day costs about £4 a year, against about £29 for a 60 W old-style bulb giving similar light.
Is it cheaper to leave LED lights on than to switch them on and off?
No. Switching LEDs on and off doesn't use extra power or noticeably shorten their life, so always turn them off when you leave a room.
Does this include the standing charge?
No. The standing charge (54.83p a day under the current cap, about £200.13 a year) is a fixed daily cost for being connected. It does not change with how much you use any appliance.