Where is it cheapest to run a home in England?

As of June 2026, Dudley is the cheapest included authority at about £4,563 a year (Gera Cost-of-Living-at-Home Index 93), followed by the rest of the ranking on this page. The total sums the national Ofgem energy cap, the area's water+sewerage bill, and Band D council tax. Liverpool is the most expensive at £5,134.

What does it cost to run a home in the UK on average?

Across the 66 English local authorities included here, the average total to run a home is £4,897 a year and the median is £4,916. That is built from the national Ofgem energy price cap (£1,862/yr typical, 1 July to 30 September 2026), the appointed water company's average bill, and Band D council tax. Broadband is shown per area but not added to the total.

How is the cost to run a home calculated?

Each area's total = energy + water + council tax. Energy is the national Ofgem price cap typical dual-fuel annual bill (it applies flat across Great Britain — Ofgem's 14-region table is not in the source text, so we don't fabricate a regional split). Water is the appointed water+sewerage company's average annual bill (Water UK/Ofwat). Council tax is the Band D area figure (MHCLG 2026-27). The Gera Cost-of-Living-at-Home Index expresses each total against the national average (100).

Why are only some areas included?

An area is included only where its combined water + sewerage company is unambiguous — a single appointed company supplies both water and sewerage across the whole authority. Many areas (London, the South East and South West, the East) are served by a mix of water and sewerage companies, so a single combined bill can't be attributed without guessing — and we never fabricate a number. Currently 66 authorities across the North West, Yorkshire, the North East and the West Midlands metropolitan area qualify.

Is broadband included in the cost to run a home?

No. We show each area's real Ofcom broadband figures (the Gera Broadband Index, gigabit and full-fibre availability) for context, but broadband is excluded from the £ total because no clean per-area broadband price exists in UK open data, and a single national price would not change any area's ranking.

Cheapest places to run a home in England

The total annual cost to run a home — energy + water + council tax — ranked across 66 English local authorities, with the Gera Cost-of-Living-at-Home Index.

Where in England is it cheapest to run a home?

As of June 2026, the cheapest English local authority to run a home (energy + water + council tax) is Dudley at about £4,563/yr, and the most expensive is Liverpool at £5,134/yr. Across 66 included authorities the average is £4,897/yr. Per the Gera Cost-of-Living-at-Home Index; sources Ofgem, Water UK/Ofwat, MHCLG.

Source:Ofgem energy price cap, Water UK / Ofwat water bills, MHCLG council tax (joined by Gera)·as of June 2026updated quarterly (last: 19 June 2026)

Gera Cost-of-Living-at-Home Index£4,897 avg100 = the average annual cost to run a home across all 66 included authorities. Lower index = cheaper.How this index is calculated

Work out your own cost to run a home

Pick your area and council tax band

Work out your own cost to run a home

Pick an area and your council tax band to see your personal annual total — the national Ofgem energy cap, your area’s water company bill, and your banded council tax. Every figure is a real published number.

AreaCouncil tax band

Single-adult household (apply the 25% council tax discount)

£1,862

Energy (Ofgem cap)

national, /yr

£602

Water (Yorkshire Water)

/yr

£2,326

Council tax (Band D)

/yr

Running a home in Barnsley at Band D costs about £4,790 a year (£399/month) — that is £107 below the £4,897 national average for the included areas. Broadband is not included in this total (no clean per-area price exists in open data).

Cut your running costs — book a home energy or maintenance pro

By region

Full ranking — cheapest first

Cost to run a home by English local authority (June 2026)
Rank	Area	Region	Water company	Total /yr	GCLHI
1	Dudley	West Midlands	Severn Trent Water	£4,563	93
2	Sunderland	North East	Northumbrian Water	£4,565	93
3	Wigan	North West	United Utilities	£4,613	94
4	Solihull	West Midlands	Severn Trent Water	£4,615	94
5	Doncaster	Yorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire Water	£4,632	95
6	Sandwell	West Midlands	Severn Trent Water	£4,662	95
7	Leeds	Yorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire Water	£4,748	97
8	York	Yorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire Water	£4,751	97
9	Trafford	North West	United Utilities	£4,752	97
10	Kingston upon Hull	Yorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire Water	£4,759	97
11	Wakefield	Yorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire Water	£4,761	97
12	Manchester	North West	United Utilities	£4,772	97
13	Birmingham	West Midlands	Severn Trent Water	£4,781	98
14	Barnsley	Yorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire Water	£4,790	98
15	South Tyneside	North East	Northumbrian Water	£4,802	98
16	Bradford	Yorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire Water	£4,825	99
17	Halton	North West	United Utilities	£4,827	99
18	North Tyneside	North East	Northumbrian Water	£4,830	99
19	Rotherham	Yorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire Water	£4,846	99
20	Ribble Valley	North West	United Utilities	£4,847	99
21	Bolton	North West	United Utilities	£4,860	99
22	Darlington	North East	Northumbrian Water	£4,862	99
23	St Helens	North West	United Utilities	£4,863	99
24	Calderdale	Yorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire Water	£4,884	100
25	Chorley	North West	United Utilities	£4,890	100
26	South Ribble	North West	United Utilities	£4,903	100
27	Kirklees	Yorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire Water	£4,905	100
28	Tameside	North West	United Utilities	£4,907	100
29	Warrington	North West	United Utilities	£4,908	100
30	Newcastle upon Tyne	North East	Northumbrian Water	£4,910	100
31	Redcar & Cleveland	North East	Northumbrian Water	£4,912	100
32	Blackburn with Darwen	North West	United Utilities	£4,915	100
33	Cheshire East	North West	United Utilities	£4,915	100
34	West Lancashire	North West	United Utilities	£4,916	100
35	Middlesbrough	North East	Northumbrian Water	£4,917	100
36	Wyre	North West	United Utilities	£4,921	100
37	Hyndburn	North West	United Utilities	£4,926	101
38	East Riding of Yorkshire	Yorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire Water	£4,930	101
39	Coventry	West Midlands	Severn Trent Water	£4,935	101
40	Fylde	North West	United Utilities	£4,944	101
41	Knowsley	North West	United Utilities	£4,948	101
42	Wolverhampton	West Midlands	Severn Trent Water	£4,957	101
43	Stockton-on-Tees	North East	Northumbrian Water	£4,958	101
44	Wirral	North West	United Utilities	£4,961	101
45	Lancaster	North West	United Utilities	£4,963	101
46	Northumberland	North East	Northumbrian Water	£4,965	101
47	Westmorland and Furness	North West	United Utilities	£4,968	101
48	Cumberland	North West	United Utilities	£4,971	102
49	Blackpool	North West	United Utilities	£4,973	102
50	Sheffield	Yorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire Water	£4,974	102
51	Cheshire West and Chester	North West	United Utilities	£4,977	102
52	Rossendale	North West	United Utilities	£4,980	102
53	Durham	North East	Northumbrian Water	£4,990	102
54	North Yorkshire	Yorkshire and The Humber	Yorkshire Water	£5,008	102
55	Burnley	North West	United Utilities	£5,009	102
56	Bury	North West	United Utilities	£5,015	102
57	Preston	North West	United Utilities	£5,036	103
58	Sefton	North West	United Utilities	£5,043	103
59	Walsall	West Midlands	Severn Trent Water	£5,045	103
60	Salford	North West	United Utilities	£5,054	103
61	Rochdale	North West	United Utilities	£5,061	103
62	Oldham	North West	United Utilities	£5,062	103
63	Stockport	North West	United Utilities	£5,079	104
64	Gateshead	North East	Northumbrian Water	£5,084	104
65	Pendle	North West	United Utilities	£5,100	104
66	Liverpool	North West	United Utilities	£5,134	105

Tap any area in the calculator above for its full breakdown, or jump to the cheapest and most expensive lists.

Frequently asked questions

Where is it cheapest to run a home in England?: As of June 2026, Dudley is the cheapest included authority at about £4,563 a year (Gera Cost-of-Living-at-Home Index 93), followed by the rest of the ranking on this page. The total sums the national Ofgem energy cap, the area's water+sewerage bill, and Band D council tax. Liverpool is the most expensive at £5,134.
What does it cost to run a home in the UK on average?: Across the 66 English local authorities included here, the average total to run a home is £4,897 a year and the median is £4,916. That is built from the national Ofgem energy price cap (£1,862/yr typical, 1 July to 30 September 2026), the appointed water company's average bill, and Band D council tax. Broadband is shown per area but not added to the total.
How is the cost to run a home calculated?: Each area's total = energy + water + council tax. Energy is the national Ofgem price cap typical dual-fuel annual bill (it applies flat across Great Britain — Ofgem's 14-region table is not in the source text, so we don't fabricate a regional split). Water is the appointed water+sewerage company's average annual bill (Water UK/Ofwat). Council tax is the Band D area figure (MHCLG 2026-27). The Gera Cost-of-Living-at-Home Index expresses each total against the national average (100).
Why are only some areas included?: An area is included only where its combined water + sewerage company is unambiguous — a single appointed company supplies both water and sewerage across the whole authority. Many areas (London, the South East and South West, the East) are served by a mix of water and sewerage companies, so a single combined bill can't be attributed without guessing — and we never fabricate a number. Currently 66 authorities across the North West, Yorkshire, the North East and the West Midlands metropolitan area qualify.
Is broadband included in the cost to run a home?: No. We show each area's real Ofcom broadband figures (the Gera Broadband Index, gigabit and full-fibre availability) for context, but broadband is excluded from the £ total because no clean per-area broadband price exists in UK open data, and a single national price would not change any area's ranking.

What’s included, and what isn’t

Only authorities with an unambiguous single water + sewerage company are ranked — currently the North West, Yorkshire, the North East and the West Midlands metropolitan area. Two authorities are explicitly excluded: Hartlepool and Shropshire (mixed water suppliers make the combined bill ambiguous). Full reasoning is on the methodology page.

Cut what it costs to run your home

A GeraHome pro can lower your energy and maintenance bills — insulation, efficient heating, draught-proofing and repairs, wherever you live.

Find a home pro near you How the index is built

Contains public sector information published by Ofgem · Water UK / Ofwat · MHCLG and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Ofgem energy price cap, Water UK / Ofwat water bills, MHCLG council tax (joined by Gera) (June 2026).