Britons now spend more on technology costs than utility bills, poll finds

More than a third say they pay for things they do not use

Many pay for a landline on their broadband package they do not use (Rex)

The average adult will spend nearly £1m on bills over their lifetime and now spends more on technology than they do on utilities, a study has found.

Research polling 2,000 UK adults found they will spend a total of £926,720 on gas, electricity, water, their phone and other bills.

An average of £508 was spent on TV packages and streaming services each year, while £2,042 was spent on insurance annually – for life, buildings, contents, car, mobile, and travel.

But Britons are now spending more on technology-related bills, reaching an average £1,555 a year on these expenses compared to their spend on utilities at £1,491 per year.

Nina Bibby, from O2 which commissioned the survey, said: “Our research shows just how much unnecessary expense we outlay over the course of our lives.

“Taking the time to shop around for more flexible deals that suit your individual needs, so that you’re only paying for what you use, can save a huge sum of money in the long run.”

The study also found 35 per cent of those polled believed they currently pay for things on their bills that they do not actually make the most of or use.

This includes paying for a landline on their broadband package or for TV channels they never watch.

Despite the huge outlay, seven in 10 did not frequently compare prices on the services and contracts they pay for in a bid to save money.

A quarter said they believed they were paying an average of £170 more than they need to because they stick with the same providers or do not look to for better deals with the supplier they are already with.

One in four of those polled who said they did not put in the effort to shop around.

A fifth claimed they did not have the time to look for better deals, and 32 per cent were under the impression they would not save that much money.

It also emerged that despite spending more than £200 a year on mobile phone bills, a quarter have never changed provider to see if they can get better value for money.

Nearly a third did not ever compare or look at alternative options for their mobile phone contract – despite being something they frequently use, with 20 per cent not sure what is included in their current plan.

But the research, conducted via OnePoll, found nearly half would be happy to switch service providers if it was an easy process.

19 per cent would do so if they knew they were getting a product which was bespoke to their needs, while 31 per cent wanted more data if they were to change their smartphone plan.

The findings come after a recent Which? report revealed customers were potentially overpaying by more than £400 a year as their operator continues to charge them the full price of their contract even when they have paid off the cost of their phone.

SWNS