Bad habits send energy bills through the roof

With the price of energy on a rollercoaster and 76% of Brits claiming the cold snap has made them more aware of their usage, a staggering amount of people are still falling foul of bad habits that will send their bills through the roof.

Confused.com can reveal:

22% of pet owners leave central heating on in empty homes for their four legged friends.

1 in 10 preheat empty homes all day to return to a warm house after work

37% of homeowners will turn up the thermostat before considering reaching for a jumper

Despite fears for bills, only 1/3 considering switching tariffs as a solution to this next year.

Whilst the spotlight on energy providers during the recession appears to have made the nation savvier than they've ever been when it comes to their consumption, it appears that central heating is still the first port of call for keeping warm in homes across the nation. The average home owner is turning up the heat to a staggering 22.6c, hotter than Miami in January.

Gareth Kloet, head of energy comments "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.

It's disappointing that, whilst 76% of home owners admit to being more aware of the energy they are using, they are not using this increased awareness as inspiration to bring their cost down in the simplest, quickest way possible: by finding the most appropriate tariff and provider for them. Accredited websites like Confused.com make this process effortless."