We need to take more care in our homes
Millions of families are considering downsizing their homes to cut the cost of energy bills.
Research by uSwitch shows that many householders cannot afford further increases to their energy bills.
Almost a third of families want smaller houses after gas bills rose 8.3 per cent and electricity 5.1 per cent in the last year.
Ethical supplier Ebico quizzed nearly 27,000 people and estimates six million households are 'fuel poor' - spending more than 10 per cent of their income on power bills.
But a new report suggests that it is our love of gadgets that's causing this hike in prices as we have much more outputs of energy in our homes than 20 years ago.
Dr Paula Owen, author os the Energy Saving Trust reports says: "We need to ask ourselves if we need to leave chargers on or own a 50 inch TV screen.
"There's more to this than using energy-efficient bulbs. People can bring down electricity bills considerably."
The report warns we will miss our 2020 target to vut Britains carbon footprint by seven million tonnes if we do not switch off appliances.
Dr Owen continues: "We are obsessed with gadgets and in these austere times people need to think about what they buy, if they need it and how they use it."
Tagged in Home energy efficient