Research commissioned by auto-switching service Weflip has found 32 per cent of energy customers have not switched their energy supplier in five years.
Out of those surveyed a fifth said they would probably be able to get a better deal but “could not be bothered” to switch.
Only 43 per cent said they were happy to actively manage their energy bills to ensure they are always getting a good deal while 19 per cent said they have no idea what tariff they are on.
The survey asked customers who have not changed provider in the last five years what had prevented them from doing so.
Of these 40 per cent felt switching was “too much hassle”, while 21 per cent thought there was no point because they would need to repeat the process every year.
Results also revealed that 17 per cent found energy bills and tariffs too confusing to be able to switch, 12 per cent did not feel confident to shop around and 9 per cent feared their energy supply would be cut-off during the switching process.
Sally Jaques, head of energy at Weflip, said: “When it comes to electricity and gas bills – loyalty counts for nothing.
“The truth is, you’ll pay more for the privilege of sticking with the same provider.
“New customers are almost always charged a lower tariff than existing customers by energy companies looking to attract new business.
“And, when cheaper fixed deals expire, customers are automatically rolled-on to their supplier’s higher default rate.
“Historically, it’s been up to householders to take the initiative and shop around every year to make sure they’re getting a good deal on their energy.
“But, as our survey clearly shows, many people don’t feel they have the time, inclination or expertise to do so.”
According to the latest figures, 2018 was a “record year” for energy switching, with more than 5.8 million making a change.
This represents one in five customers and is a six per cent increase on the previous year’s record figures when 5.5 million customers switched electricity supplier.