The consumption of electricity in the UK has reached its lowest levels since the second quarter of 2020, a period marked by the initial Covid-19 lockdown, which significantly curtailed energy demand.

According to government analysis, this decline in electricity consumption is evident across all sectors, with the domestic sector experiencing the most significant reduction, down by 7.7% to 20.4TWh.

This continued trend of decreased consumption aligns with the backdrop of increasing household expenses, including rising energy costs.

In addition, there has been a substantial decrease in the demand for natural gas, with a 13% during the second quarter of 2023 compared to the same period in 2022.

The total final consumption of gas also witnessed a decline of 7.5%, reflecting reduced gas demand across all sectors.

Among these sectors, the domestic sector saw the most substantial decline, down by 9.3% compared to the same period in the previous year.