FOI reference: FOI-2023-1190
You asked
Please provide the following data: The following publication updated with 2022 data: Postcode level electricity statistics: 2021 (experimental) on the GOV.UK website. In the publication on the ONS website named 'Energy efficiency of Housing, England and Wales, local authority districts - Office for National Statistics (ons.gov.uk)', I noticed that March 21 had Table 5a - 'Median estimated energy cost' yet this seems to be missing from the post March 22?
We said
Thank you for your request regarding the following publications:
- Energy efficiency of Housing, England and Wales, local authority districts
- Postcode level electricity statistics: 2021 (experimental)
Unfortunately, we do not hold an update of the dataset you have referred to in our Energy efficiency of Housing, England and Wales, local authority districts publication.
This is because the median estimated energy costs are calculated using data from the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), where the estimated cost per property is calculated by adding together Lighting cost + Heating cost current + Hot Water Cost. The cost of each of these are based on standard assumptions at the time of the EPC assessment, including number of occupants and floor space, so may not reflect the actual usage of the dwelling and the costs also do not cover aspects like the use of appliances.
Energy costs shown on an EPC will represent the energy prices at the time the EPC was created and will not reflect recent events, such as the increase in energy prices. We therefore did not deem these statistics to be of a good enough quality to continue their creation and publication.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (formerly part of the Department for Business, Energy, Industrial Strategy (BEIS)) produce a range of statistics on energy prices, which you may be interested in, accessible via the following link: Domestic Energy Prices including Postcode level domestic gas and electricity consumption: about the data - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk). They also produced the postcode level electricity statistics publication you have referred to in your request. If you wish to request further information or have any questions about this data, their freedom of information team can be contacted at foi.requests@beis.gov.uk.