The cold winter experienced in the UK this year has left many households concerned about their winter energy bills, but some are still leaving their heating on all day even when they are out.

According to new research from Confused.com, 73 per cent of Britons are worried about higher energy bills following the coldest winter to freeze Britain in 30 years, and the cold snap has made many bill payers more aware of their energy usage.

One in 10 households leave the central heating blazing away all day, warming up their empty houses so that they are already warm upon their return.

Almost a quarter of pet owners also do this in order to keep their pets warm while they are out.

Others are simply lazy, the statistics show, with more than a third of homeowners reaching for the central heating thermostat when they get chilly before putting on a jumper.

Despite Brits’ fears that their energy bills are on the rise, only a third of respondents said they had considered switching energy tariffs to try to keep the cost down for next winter.

The study found whilst the UK has seen some of the coldest termperatures for three decades over the last few months, they are over-compensating by turning up their central heating to an average 22.6 degrees centigrade – hotter than the weather in Miami in January.

Commenting on the findings, Gareth Kloet, head of energy at Confused.com said: “In order to minimise the impact of unnecessarily high bills, it’s important to realise that winter doesn’t stop when you go through your front door. Jumpers and extra layers that keep you warm outdoors do work just as well inside and do not load your energy bills.”

Mr Kloet finds it “disappointing” that more consumers are not actively trying to cut their gas and electricity bills by opting to switch energy providers in search of a better deal – the “simplest, quickest way possible” of bring down the cost of energy.

© Fair Investment Company Ltd