The survey, conducted by ComRes for the BBC, revealed that 60 per cent of people said it is more important to provide cheap power than to cut carbon emissions during times of economic difficulty.
This was backed up when two-third of respondents also said they would support more fossil fuel power stations if it resulted in cheaper energy bills (67 per cent) and if it helped the UK to avoid power cuts (69 per cent).
The survey also showed that a quarter of people had put up with “unacceptably cold” temperatures at home because they were struggling to pay their energy bills, and 38 per cent were “concerned” about how they would pay this winter’s energy bills.
However, the figures also showed there is public support for renewable generation in the UK, with 84 per cent of respondents saying they would support more solar panels in the area where they live.
Two thirds (67 per cent) also said they would support more windfarms in the area where they live.
Public support for the big six energy companies was also very low, with only 21 per cent of people saying they thought the major companies set prices “in a way that is fair and reasonable”, with more than two-thirds (69 per cent) saying consumer would be “better served” if the energy industry was nationalised.