Millennials are not comfortable about sharing their data with utilities, claims a new survey.

It found almost half of them don’t trust energy suppliers with their data.

SAS polled 2,000 people across the UK aged between 16 and 34 and revealed around 35% of them believe utilities use their personal data for their own benefit and just 18% trust their energy provider to find the best deal available.

Only 8% said they actually help monitor the amount of gas and electricity they use at home.

As part of the government’s smart meter rollout, around 53 million smart meters will be installed in homes and businesses across England, Wales, Scotland.

The technology measures how much gas and electricity consumers are using and what it is costing them and provides the information on an in-home display.

They also send automatic meter readings to energy suppliers and is expected to bring an end to estimated bills.

The survey however found less than a half – 48% – of millennials surveyed would be happy to share their energy consumption with suppliers to help them manage power usage.

It recommends utilities to educate the next generation on how their data can be used for their benefit.

According to a report by the Science and Technology Committee, smart meters could provide benefits related to optimising electricity generation and storage and paving the way for a smart energy system.