People largely trust energy suppliers to give them accurate bills but not to carry out energy efficiency measures.
Those findings arose from the first public attitudes survey by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc). Decc plans to conduct four such surveys a year.
More than 2,000 people were polled. Few were bothered about energy supply challenges (3 per cent) or climate change (2 per cent) compared with those concerned about unemployment (43 per cent).
More than half of those surveyed had never heard of a smart meter, illustrating the engagement challenge faced by government and suppliers.
Suppliers are making inroads on billing: 68 per cent of respondents trust them to provide accurate bills. Although ministers say the Green Deal will start in autumn, only 48 per cent trust suppliers to make energy efficiency improvements.
This article first appeared in Utility Week’s print edition of 13 July 2012.
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