Lifestyle

ENERGY prices are still stubbornly high so you'll want to know how much it costs to run your household appliances.

Washing up is a task most of us aren't so keen on while loading up the dishwasher is much quicker and more convenient.

But you might have wondered how much it costs to run one of the appliances.

Here, we explain how much it costs to run one.

How much am I paying to run my dishwasher?

Research by the Energy Saving Trust has previously found dishwashers contribute 8% to overall electricity bills.

But how much your's costs to run depends on its wattage.

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Will Ashton Smith, director of sustainability at Domestic and General, said under the current Ofgem price cap, a 1.6kWh model would cost around 43p an hour to run.

He explained: "If you are charged 27p per kWh of energy you use, and you have your 1600 wattage dishwasher on for three hours a day, you will be charged £1.30 per day for this."

Even if that seems cheap, you might still want to cut costs – here are some ways you can do that.

Is it not cheaper to wash by hand?

Modern dishwashers use much less water than washing by hand – so they should be cheaper to run and better for the environment.

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Research by Compare The Market has shown that a single dishwasher cycle costs the same in energy and water as turning the hot water tap on for six to nine minutes, or filling up four to six washing-up bowls.

On average, washing your dishes by hand uses four times as much warm water as putting the same number of items in the dishwasher.

To maximise the efficiency of your dishwasher and cut costs, just make sure you fill it up before you get it going.

What support is available if you're struggling?

There's a range of support on offer to help cover the cost of bills.

There are still two instalments of the £900 payment either being paid, or set to come.

The payments are being made to anyone on the following benefits:

  • Universal Credit
  • Income-based Jobseekers Allowance
  • Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Income Support
  • Working Tax Credit
  • Child Tax Credit
  • Pension Credit

If you're not on one of the above benefits yet, it's worth seeing if you qualify.

Not only will you start receiving money from the benefit, it could make you eligible for the second and third instalments of the £900 cost of living payment, worth £300 and £299.

Meanwhile, you might be able to get help via the Household Support Fund, which is available to thousands of people across England.

What you are entitled to varies depending on where you live, but you usually receive help if you are on a low income or benefits.

Some households are being issued energy vouchers while others are receiving payments directly into their bank accounts.

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You can find what council area you fall under by using the government's council locator tool.

You just have to type in your postcode and it will tell you which local authority you should contact to see if you can get help.

You can also join our new Sun Money Facebook group to share stories and tips and engage with the consumer team and other group members.

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