Halogen light bulbs banned from all shops from today – saving homes £200 a year

Government changes mean the light bulbs can’t be bought or sold anymore, and households will have to swap over to LED alternatives when they eventually stop working.

The changes mean halogen bulbs can’t be stocked in shops, so there will be a finite number left in the UK (

Halogen light bulbs will be banned from sale in the UK today as part of the government’s plans to tackle climate change.

The move could cost the average home £100 upfront to replace the bulbs but could then save £200 a year in lower energy bills.

The UK began phasing out the sale of higher-energy halogen light bulbs in 2018 and around two-thirds of bulbs sold in Britain are already LED.

In June the government said halogen bulbs would be pulled from sale on September 1 , but this was then extended to October 1.

LED bulbs can last five times longer than halogen ones and produce the same amount of light – but use up to 80% less power.

A spokesperson for the department for business, energy and industrial strategy said: “Phasing out inefficient, energy-intensive halogen lightbulbs will cut 1.26million tonnes of CO2.”

Speaking on a delay on enforcing it last month, it said: “This short one-month delay will ensure these new requirements can be implemented effectively immediately once live.”

The changes apply to halogen bulbs like these ones ( Image:

Those who have a halogen light bulb in their home will not have to dispose of it by the deadline, however they will not be able to replace it when it blows.

Sarah Broomfield, energy expert at Uswitch.com, said every 50-watt halogen bulb that is swapped for an LED alternative saves households £3 a year.

The Energy Saving Trust has previously said that it would cost the typical home £100 a year to replace all halogen bulbs with LEDs.

But the cost of doing this will pay off over time, as switching could cut energy bills by more than £200 per year, according to Compare the Market.

The government thinks the UK shifting to LED bulbs will also cut 1.26million tonnes of CO2 a year, the same as removing half a million cars from the road.

It also said the measures will also save the average household £75 a year on energy bills.

Broomfield said: “Delaying the ban until October has given people a little more time to prepare, but the change has still caused significant upheaval, with an estimated ten million households needing to replace light fittings that are incompatible with LEDs.

“Meanwhile, an estimated 54million halogen bulbs will need to be swapped for LEDs at a potential cost of £109million.”

Fluorescent light bulbs will be removed from shelves from September 2023.

To help people make the switch, new energy efficiency labels will be introduced on boxes.

The labels will simplify the way energy efficiency is displayed on a new scale from A-G, removing A+, A++ or A+++ ratings.

Under the new grading system, very few bulbs will now be classified as A, helping consumers choose the most environmentally friendly option.

The halogen light bulb ban is part of a package of measures which is meant to save consumers money.

These include the right to get goods repaired, new energy labels and higher efficiency standards for white goods, TVs and other appliances.

Part of this is the ‘right to repair’ law announced in March , which means firms will legally have to make spare parts available to consumers for the first time.

It is hoped that the change could extend the lifespan of products by up to 10 years, while officials estimate that higher energy efficiency standards will save consumers an average of £75 a year on bills.