Households spending $99 per week on energy

In 2012, the average Australian household spent $39 per week on electricity and gas for their homes, according to a new report released this week by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Adding another $60 per week on fuel for vehicles means that energy costs represented around five per cent of the average gross weekly household income.

ABS spokesperson Stephanie Cornes said that this figure ranged from almost ten per cent for low income households to as little as three per cent for high income households.

“Households in the coldest climate zone - the ACT, Tasmania and parts of Victoria and NSW - had the highest overall costs, spending $47 per week on energy within their homes.

“By contrast, households in warm temperate regions, like Perth and parts of Sydney, had the lowest overall costs, spending $36 per week on energy.

“Households with solar electricity and/or solar hot water spent around $6 less each week than households who didn't have solar”, Ms Cornes added.

Households paying a mortgage also had the highest overall energy costs ($123 per week), while those renting from a state or territory housing authority spent less than half this amount ($56 per week).

“Owner households have different options to help manage their household energy costs”, Ms Cornes said.

“They reported higher rates of energy efficient characteristics within their home, such as solar systems, window treatments and gas hot water systems.”

The report also shows that doing things like installing energy efficient light bulbs in most lights and using cold water for most clothes washes were higher among most types of family households than for single person households.