What does a hot tub cost to run each month in the UK?

Priced at the Ofgem cap unit rate of 26.11p per kWh (1 July to 30 September 2026), a four to six seat tub under a decent cover lands at roughly £16 to £27 a month to hold temperature in summer and roughly £47 to £78 a month in winter. Tub size, set temperature, the state of the cover, the weather and your tariff all move that figure, so read these as worked examples, not a guarantee.

Is it cheaper to keep a hot tub switched on?

Nearly always. Hot tubs are built to stay on, and the thermostat only replaces the heat that leaks away. Bringing 1,200 litres back up from cold swallows about 39 kWh, roughly £10 at the current cap rate, which usually costs more than you would save by switching off between weekly soaks. Turning down or off only pays when the tub sits unused for long stretches in summer.

Which part of a hot tub uses the most electricity?

The heater, by a wide margin. Almost the whole running cost is replacing heat lost through the cover and shell, so cover condition and set temperature shift the bill far more than pumps do. A 2 kW jet pump costs around 26p per half hour because it only runs while you are in the water.

How do I bring my hot tub running costs down?

Swap out a cover that has gone heavy and waterlogged, slide a floating thermal blanket under the main cover, knock the set temperature down a degree, push long filtration cycles into off-peak hours if your tariff has them, and keep the chemistry in range so you are never draining and reheating water earlier than planned.

How much do chemicals add to the running cost?

For most owners chemicals are a minor line next to electricity, usually a few pounds a month across sanitiser, shock and balancers. Measured dosing keeps it that way: overdosing wastes product and can force an early drain and refill, and the reheat that follows costs far more in electricity than the chemical you skipped.

What Does a Hot Tub Cost to Run in the UK?

Worked electricity cost examples for a four to six seat hot tub at the Ofgem price cap unit rate of 26.11p per kWh (1 July to 30 September 2026), with the kWh assumption stated beside every figure, an interactive calculator for your own tub, and practical ways to spend less.

Holding temperature in summer: 2 to 3.5 kWh per day under a fitted cover
Holding temperature in winter: 6 to 10 kWh per day
Jets: a 2 kW pump uses 1 kWh per half hour of soaking
Reheating 1,200 litres from 10C to 38C: about 39 kWh
Calculator: your litres, soaks per week, tariff and season