Campaigners are calling for Centrica’s chief executive to give up his bonus after criticising him for lining his “bulging pockets” at the expense of ordinary householders.

Greenpeace want Sam Laidlaw to waive his bonus like Stephen Hester, the boss of taxpayer-bailed out bank RBS, who recently gave up one million-pound’s worth of shares under pressure from government and public opinion.

Lawrence Carter, energy campaigner for Greenpeace said: “Thousands of families and businesses across the country are struggling to pay their rocketing energy bills and it’s the cash from these bills that is lining the already bulging pockets of Centrica boss Sam Laidlaw and the other directors of the Big Six energy companies.

“Laidlaw should say today that he’s going to hand back this year’s bonus.”

The charity Friends of the Earth echoed the criticism.

Energy Campaigner Paul Steedman said: “Centrica bosses and shareholders are set for bumper pay-outs while British Gas customers pay the price with sky-high energy bills.”

Centrica would not say whether Mr Laidlaw will get a bonus this year. A spokesperson told ELN: “We’ll be giving full details of all our directors’ remuneration in a report published next month. We’re not going to pre-empt anything in that.”

Mr Laidlaw has been Centrica’s CEO since 2006. In 2010, he received £2,045,000 including base salary, an annual incentive scheme, payments lieu of pension and other benefits.