MORE than four-fifths of people want feedback from their energy supplier on how much energy they are using compared to their neighbours, a survey suggests.

And almost as many people felt their energy bills needed to be clearer, the in-depth survey with households who participated in an energy-saving study found.

The project involved 500 households in 14 housing associations to study the effects of giving people feedback on their energy use, and found that a simple “smiley” showing how well they were doing compared to others could help people cut £80 from their fuel bills.

A questionnaire completed by more than 300 of the households at the end of the project found that 82 per cent wanted regular feedback from their supplier on their energy use compared to others, and 79 per cent thought bills could be clearer.

It also revealed that housing associations were the most trusted source of information for the residents for advice on energy efficiency, followed by energy charities, friends and family, and local authorities.

But the study by organisation Sustainable Homes found that many householders also trusted the government and their energy supplier to give impartial advice on energy- saving measures.

Most participants in the National Energy Study felt they were good at saving energy in the home, taking steps such as only filling the kettle with as much water as needed and switching off lights, the researchers said.

But there were opportunities for more savings, such as turning off appliances, with only a third (30 per cent) turning their appliances off all the time instead of leaving them on stand-by, the study found.

And heating controls were causing confusion for a proportion of those in the study, with more than a third (35 per cent) saying they had difficulties with their heating controls.

Andrew Eagles, managing director of Sustainable Homes, said: “These results drive home the point that in the battle against rising bills we need to be better at giving people the tools they need to manage them well.

“This means more than investing in insulation and other improvements – though we absolutely need to do that too.

“Housing associations are in a great position to help: not only are they based in the communities they serve, people are more willing to take their advice at face value.”

Lord Matthew Taylor, chairman of the National Housing Federation, said: “As this report makes clear, there are often simple, immediate measures that can cut bills without going cold, often at no cost.

“Residents want to know how to save energy, and also how their use compares with others’, and these findings have particular implications for our sector.”

Incommunities is one of the largest social housing providers in the UK, providing affordable, high-quality homes, principally for rent in neighbourhoods across the Bradford district. The housing association currently owns nearly 21,300 homes for rent and has almost 1,000 leasehold properties. Its new homes, built with funding through the Affordable Homes Programme (2011-15), are built to the national Code for Sustainable Homes – level 3.

Delroy Beverley, director of Incommunities – Propertysolutions, said: “In line with our corporate social responsibilities we are very much committed to promoting home energy efficiency and helping our customers reduce their fuel bills. This accords with our wider strategies relating to how we support our residents currently facing serious challenges in terms of energy costs linked to carbon reduction targets.

“We provide all new customers with Energy Performance Certificates when they move into one of our homes. This gives detailed information on how energy-efficient their new home is and what the energy cost is likely to be.

“Our dedicated energy officer regularly gives customer advice on saving energy through free workshops, community events and in one-to- one contacts which covers using home heating systems efficiently and advice on energy tariff options. We provide free home gas servicing checks to all our customers, which includes addressing any leaks or poor performance. Regular energy-saving features also feature in our quarterly customer newsletter, @home, and on our website.”

He added: “We are also part of West Yorkshire Hotspots, a multi-agency partnership which aims to combat fuel poverty and uses a simple reporting system where frontline workers make a referral to the scheme.”