Wed, 01 Oct 2025

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 Students say 'unlimited' energy costing £2k more

The University of Reading says students maybe unaware how much extra they pay for unlimited energy

* Students using "unlimited" energy packages pay an average of £2,200 more per household compared to those with traditional contracts.
* In extreme cases, students could be asked to pay up to £3,280 more than they would typically need to pay with standard energy use.
* The average cost of unlimited packages is around £408 per month for a typical four-bedroom property in Reading's student area, although one provider (Fused) disputed this figure and said its average monthly cost was £369.62.
* A second-year student reported paying £76 in bills every month on an unlimited contract and regretted not knowing more about the costs before signing up.
* A third-year student who set up her bills with individual providers pays £48.78 a month for her utilities and worries that many students will be persuaded to sign up for unlimited contracts without realizing the extra cost.
* The University of Reading's Energy and Sustainability Director has called on other universities and energy regulators to help students avoid unnecessary extra costs by being more informed about their energy supply.
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