Official Statistics

DESNZ Public Attitudes Tracker: Energy bills and tariffs, Winter 2024, UK

Published 13 March 2025

The DESNZ Public Attitudes Tracker is a nationally representative annual survey of adults (aged 16+) in the UK that tracks public awareness, attitudes and behaviours relating to the policies of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), such as energy and climate change. 

This report provides a summary of the headline findings relating to energy bills and tariffs from the Winter 2024 wave of the Tracker, which ran from 7 November and 12 December 2024.  

Notes for interpretation of findings 

Differences between groups are only reported where they are statistically significant at the 95% confidence interval level.  

The annual personal income referred to in the report is a self-reported measure. 

The age-related findings are reported using six age groups (16-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65 and over). In some cases, findings across age groups have been combined to describe a general trend, e.g. ‘between 78% and 88% of people aged 45 and above’ refers to the range of percentages for the three age groups 45-54, 55-64 and 65+. 

Two summary self-reported measures are used in this report: 

• ‘Awareness’ encompasses all respondents who said they had heard of a particular concept or technology, including those who said ‘hardly anything but I’ve heard of this’, ‘a little’, ‘a fair amount’ or ‘a lot’.  

• ‘Knowledge’ encompasses those who said that they know ‘a fair amount’ or ‘a lot’ about a topic. 

The findings within this report cover the period between Spring 2022 and Winter 2024. The findings should be viewed in light of the changing energy prices over this period^{[footnote 1]}.  

Monitoring energy use 

Questions are asked annually, in the Winter wave, about people’s attitudes towards heating in the home.  

In Winter 2024, as in previous years, almost all people said they paid at least some attention to the amount of heat they used (98%), while 75% said they paid a lot or a fair amount of attention (Figure 5.1). These proportions remained in line with Winter 2023, following a decline from Winter 2022 (82%).  

However, the proportion saying they pay a lot of attention has fallen steadily from 41% in Winter 2022 to 33% in Winter 2024, while still remaining higher than in Winter 2021 (27%). The peak in Winter 2022 likely reflects the height of the energy price crisis.

Figure 5.1: How much attention paid to amount of heat used in home (% based on all people), Winter 2021 to 2024

HEATUSE. How much attention do you pay to the amount of heat you use in your home?  

Base: All wave respondents – Winter 2021 (3,701), Winter 2022 (3,571), Winter 2023 (3,741), Winter 2024 (3,209)

Analysis by subgroups 

The proportion saying they paid a lot or a fair amount of attention was higher among the following subgroups: 

• People in age bands 45 and over: between 82% and 84%, compared with 49% of those aged 16 to 24. 

• People living in the South West (82% vs 75% overall): in contrast the lowest level was reported in the North West (66%). 

The proportion saying they paid a lot of attention was higher among the following subgroups: 

• People in age bands 45 and over: between 42% and 44%, compared with 15% of those aged 16 to 24. 

• People living in Northern Ireland (44% vs 33% overall); in contrast the lowest level was reported in the East Midlands (20%).  

• People who reported finding it difficult to manage financially (43% compared to the 29% who were managing comfortably). 

People who reported paying a lot or a fair amount of attention to heat used in their home (75%) were asked their reasons for doing this. (Figure 5.2).  

In Winter 2024, as in previous years, the main reason given was to minimise the money spent on heat (69%). There was no significant change since Winter 2023, but this remained above the baseline Winter 2021 level of 62%. 

The second most reported reason was to make sure their home had sufficient heat to be comfortable (17%). This has increased steadily from 13% in Winter 2022, but remains below the Winter 2021 baseline level of 20%.

Figure 5.2: Reasons for paying attention to the amount of heat used (% based on those who pay at least a fair amount of attention), Winter 2021 to 2024

HEATATTWHY. You said that you pay [a lot / a fair amount] of attention to the amount of heat you use in your home. What is the main reason for this?  

Base: All wave respondents who pay at least a fair amount of attention – Winter 2021 (2,769), Winter 2022 (3,036), Winter 2023 (3,010), Winter 2024 (2,565)

People who reported paying a little, hardly any or no attention at all to the amount of heat used (22% in Winter 2024) were asked their reasons for doing this. (Figure 5.3).  

In Winter 2024, as in previous years, the reason selected most often was using as much heat as needed to be comfortable (47%, no change since Winter 2023 but below the Winter 2021 baseline level of 54%).  

The next most common reason was because they set controls at a comfortable level without the need for further adjustment (21%), while 13% said they did not feel they could control the amount of heat they used.

Figure 5.3: Reasons for not paying attention to the amount of heat used (% based on those who pay at most a little amount of attention), Winter 2021 to 2024

HEATNOATTWHY. You said that you pay [only a little/hardly any/no] attention to the amount of heat you use in your home. What is the main reason for this?  

Base: All wave respondents who pay at most a little attention – Winter 2021 (925), Winter 2022 (529), Winter 2023 (714), Winter 2024 (629)

In Winter 2024, 62% of households said that they had a smart meter, with no significant change in this since Winter 2023 (61%).The findings related to smart meters have been weighted to represent all households (rather than all individuals).  

In Winter waves since 2023 respondents were also asked how, if at all, they monitored their energy use (Figure 5.4). In Winter 2024 most people (83%) reported using some method to monitor their energy use. This was most likely to be via a smart-meter In-Home display (42%), as in Winter 2023.  

The other main sources were those provided by energy suppliers. Energy bills were used as a monitoring source by 33% of households (up from 29%), with 21% using their energy supplier app (up from 18%) and 16% using their supplier’s online portal or website. 

Figure 5.4: Methods used to monitor energy use (% based on all people), Winter 2023, Winter 2024

SMARTMETD. Which, if any, of the following do you personally use to monitor your energy use? Please select all that apply. 

Base: All wave respondents – Winter 2023 (3,732), Winter 2024 (3,206)

‘Time of use’ electricity tariffs 

Awareness of ‘time of use’ electricity tariffs 

Questions on ‘time of use’ electricity tariffs have been asked in Winter waves since 2023. Respondents are first provided with the following explanation about ‘time of use’ electricity tariffs before being asked about their level of awareness of this. 

Some suppliers offer energy tariffs that charge consumers cheaper ‘off-peak’ rates for their energy at times of night or day when demand is at its lowest, and higher ‘peak’ rates at more popular times. Depending on how their energy is used, this can reduce people’s electricity bills if they are able to change the times they use their electricity to cheaper ‘off peak’ times.  

In Winter 2024, 90% of people said they had heard of ‘time of use’ electricity tariffs, up slightly from Winter 2023 (88%) (Figure 5.5). Knowledge levels have also increased between Winter 2023 and Winter 2024: from 34% to 39% saying they knew a lot or a fair amount, and from 9% to 12% saying they knew a lot.

Figure 5.5: Awareness of electricity tariffs depending on time of use (% based on all people), Winter 2023, Winter 2024

TOUTAWARENEW. Before today, how much, if anything, did you know about these electricity tariffs with different rates depending on time of use? 

Base: All wave respondents – Winter 2023 (3,733), Winter 2024 (3,213)

Analysis by subgroups 

Overall awareness was higher among the following subgroups: 

• People in age groups 35 and over: between 93% and 96% compared with 73% of those aged 16 to 24.  

• People living in the South East (96%) and the East Midlands (94%); in contrast the levels were lowest in London and Northern Ireland (both 86%) and the West Midlands (85%). 

• People with any responsibility for household decisions, solely or jointly: 94% compared with 79% of those with no responsibility. 

Similar to overall awareness, knowledge (knowing a lot or a fair amount), was higher among the following subgroups: 

• People in age groups 25 and over: between 36% and 45% in contrast to 21% of those aged 16 to 24.  

• People with any responsibility for household decisions, solely or jointly: 39% and 45% compared with 26% of those with no responsibility. 

People were less likely to say they knew a lot or a fair amount in the North East and Yorkshire and the Humber (both 26%) than in all other English regions (between 37% and 44%).

Likelihood of switching to a ‘time of use’ electricity tariff 

In Winter waves since 2023, respondents were asked about their likelihood of switching to a tariff ‘where pricing varies at different times (for example daytime, night-time and peak rates)’.  

In Winter 2024, 49% said that they were very or fairly likely to switch, down from 51% in Winter 2023 (Figure 5.6). This included 18% who said they were very likely to do so. A further 9% said they were already on such a tariff.  

Overall, 28% said they were not very or not at all likely to switch, up from 23% in Winter 2023.

Figure 5.6: Likelihood of switching to ‘time of use’ electricity tariff (% based on all people), Winter 2023, Winter 2024

TOUTLIKELY. Think about a tariff where pricing varies at different times (for example daytime, night-time and peak rates). If this was available to you, how likely is it that your household would switch to it? 

Base: All wave respondents – Winter 2023 (3,726), Winter 2024 (3,208)

Analysis by subgroups 

The proportion who considered that they were very or fairly likely to switch was higher among the following subgroups: 

• People in age groups 25 and over: between 49% and 56% compared with 23% of those aged 16 to 24.  

• People who were fairly or very concerned about climate change: 53% of people who were very concerned and 50% of those fairly concerned, compared with 29% of those who were not at all concerned.  

People living in owner-occupied households were more likely to say they were not very or not at all likely to switch: 30% compared with 24% of those in rented households.

Reasons for not wanting to switch to a time of use tariff 

People who said they were unlikely to move to a time of use tariff were asked about their reasons for this.  

In Winter 2024, the main barriers to time of use tariffs remained consistent with Winter 2023, although the proportion of people unlikely to switch due to not wanting to think about when to use electricity increased slightly (41% up from 34%) (Figure 5.7). Distrust toward energy companies also rose, increasing from 14% in Winter 2023 to 18% (Figure 5.4).

Figure 5.7: Reasons unlikely to switch to a ‘time of use’ electricity tariff (% based on those unlikely to switch), Winter 2023, Winter 2024

WHYNOSMART. You said you would be unlikely to switch to a tariff with multiple rates for different time periods. Why is this? Please select all that apply. 

Base: All wave respondents not currently on such a tariff and unlikely to switch – Winter 2023 (933), Winter 2024 (927)

Smart electric vehicle charging 

Vehicle ownership 

In Winter 2024, 70% of people said they owned or had regular use of a car or van, no change from Winter 2023 but lower than the 75% reported in Summer 2022. 

Based on all participants (including those with no regular access to a vehicle), petrol (39%) and diesel (21%) vehicles remained the most common primary vehicle. (Figure 5.8). The percentage of diesel vehicle drivers dropped from 26% in Winter 2023 to 21%. 

One in ten people said they used either an electric (4%) or hybrid (6%) car, no change from Winter 2023. Hybrid cars were more likely to be a non-plug in (4%) than a plug in (2%).

Figure 5.8: Type of vehicle used most often (% based on all people), Summer 2022 and Winter 2023, Winter 2024

VEHICOWN. Do you personally own or have regular use of a car or van? Please include any company cars that are also driven for private use. VEHICTYPE. [Thinking about the car or van which you use most often] What type of car or van is this?  

Base: All wave respondents – Summer 2022 (4,483), Winter 2023 (3,733), Winter 2024 (3,211)

Awareness of electric vehicle (EV) smart charging 

Respondents were provided with the following explanation about EV smart charging before asking for their awareness of this concept: 

Smart electric vehicle charging is a way of charging an electric vehicle (EV) at times when demand for electricity is lower, for example at night. Charging during these off-peak times can help reduce costs for EV drivers by using cheaper energy rates. It can also help reduce periods of high demand for electricity from the national grid (the system which distributes electricity throughout the country). 

In Winter 2024, 90% of people said they were aware of EV smart charging (Figure 5.9). This was unchanged since Winter 2023 but higher than in Summer 2022 (85%). Knowledge remained stable from Winter 2023, with 40% reporting that they knew a lot or a fair amount, up from 35% in Summer 2022. The proportion saying they knew a lot had also increased to 13% from 11% in Winter 2023.

Figure 5.9: Awareness of EV smart charging (% based on all people), Summer 2022, Winter 2023, Winter 2024

EVSMARTKNOW. Before today, how much, if anything, did you know about the concept of smart electric vehicle charging? 

Base: All wave respondents – Summer 2022 (4,466), Winter 2023 (3,718), Winter 2024 (3,203)

Analysis by subgroups 

Knowledge (a lot or a fair amount) was higher among the following subgroups: 

• People who own at least one car: 44% compared with 28% who do not own one.  

• People who own an electric/battery-only car: 80% compared with 40% who own a petrol car, 44% who own a diesel car and 53% who own a hybrid car.

Further findings on energy bills and tariffs 

In previous waves, questions were included on other topics relating to energy bills and tariffs. The latest findings relating to these topics can be found as follows: 

• Amount of thought given to energy saving and wasting behaviours, see Summer 2024 report on energy bills and tariffs - section on ‘Energy saving and wasting behaviours’ 

• Reported energy saving and wasting behaviours, see Spring 2024 report on energy bills and tariffs – section on ‘Energy saving and wasting behaviours’ 

• Self-reported knowledge on reducing energy use, see Summer 2024 report on energy bills and tariffs - section on ‘Knowledge about reducing energy use’ 

• Changes made in last two years to reduce energy use, see Summer 2024 report on energy bills and tariffs - section on ‘Changes in energy use made in the last two years’  

• How energy bills are paid and level of concern about paying them, see Summer 2024 report on energy bills and tariffs - section on ‘Cost of energy bills’  

• Worry about energy bills in the context of other household bills, and the impact of increased costs of energy, see Spring 2024 report on energy bills and tariffs – section on ‘Cost of energy bills’ 

• Attitudes towards the cost of renewable energy, see Spring 2024 report on energy bills and tariffs – section on ‘Attitudes towards cost of renewable energy’ 

• Attitudes towards government financial support to households to help with energy bills. , see Summer 2024 report on energy bills and tariffs - section on ‘Attitudes towards Government financial support with energy costs’ 

• Satisfaction with service delivery from energy suppliers, see Spring 2024 report on energy bills and tariffs – section on ‘Energy suppliers’ 

• Awareness of and attitudes towards smart appliances, see Summer 2024 report on energy bills and tariffs - section on ‘Smart appliances’

1. An overview of domestic energy price changes can be found here: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-9491/ ↩