Broadband routers could be costing UK households around £21.61 a year from the start of next month, our calculations suggest. From April 1, people in England, Wales, and Scotland on a standard variable tariff, and who pay for their electricity by Direct Debit, will pay 24.67p per kilowatt hour (kWh) on average.

It marks a 7% reduction on the current price cap of 27.69p per kWh, with Ofgem saying the main cause of the drop is government budget interventions. That means your electricity bills will soon be cheaper, but you could still be racking up sizeable sums if you use certain appliances a lot, or have ones that are on almost constantly. Broadband routers have become an indispensable appliance for most Britons, powering their ability to work from home and stream theirfavourite shows.

Providers charge monthly fees for your broadband service, but it’s not the only cost households need to take into account, as the routers you need to access it are using electricity all the time.

Unlike your washing machine or oven, these devices remain in operation throughout the day to transmit the WiFi signals you need to stay online without interruption.

Providers often recommend not turning them off overnight so that they continue to receive important firmware updates.

Various smart devices in your home may also rely on it being on to function effectively, according to internet service provider Zen on its website.

There are some instances where it’s recommended that you power it down, such as if you’re going on holiday, or need to reboot it, but generally they’re on 24 hours a day.

Using Smart Money Tools’ Electricity Cost Calculator, we worked out just how much you’re paying over the course of a year under the current cap, and how much it will be from April 1 when the new price cap comes into effect.

Assuming you live in a household where there is someone at home at any one time throughout the year, and you’re using a device with the standard power rating of 0.01 kW 24 hours per day, it works out to £23.96 per year under the current cap.

That represents less than a penny per 10 mins, 7p per day, and £2 per month.

From the start of next month, when the cap falls to an average of 24.67p per kilowatt hour, the cost per year drops to £21.61 over the course of 12 months.

That’s less than a penny per 10 mins, 6p per day, and £1.80 per month, according to the cost calculator.

However, it’s worth noting that the cap is reviewed by the regulator every 3 months and doesn’t remain in place for a full year.

Meanwhile, the standing charge will rise slightly from its current 54.75p level to 57.21p per day. The April 1 price cap will apply until June 30, with the next cap level announced on May 27.