More than 20 million households, making up three-quarters of the country, are concerned about climate change but only 31% are willing to help fund going carbon-neutral by 2050.
That’s according to new research from uSwitch, which suggests despite a quarter of people being more conscious about the effects of a changing environment than ever before, less than a third would be happy to contribute just under £38 a month to help the UK install the necessary infrastructure to clean up its emissions – this would total £454 annually.
More than half say they are unwilling to contribute to these costs directly – 31% believe the responsibility for paying for the technologies needed should sit with energy companies, while 22% says the government should finance the upgrades.
The report suggests people within the 18-34 age bracket are generally willing to pay a higher average annual sum of £737, while those in London, which suffers from high levels of air pollution, would be prepared to pay more than £1,000 per year.
This contrasts with those in the South East, who on average would only be willing to pay £204.
The report from uSwitch highlights consumers are more willing to pay for electric vehicles (EVs), with nearly half of those who don’t have an electric car say they are considering buying one in the next five years – the biggest barriers include upfront cost (35%), battery life concerns (33%) and a perceived lack of available charging infrastructure (31%).
Rik Smith, Energy Expert at uSwitch.com, said: “With the intense media interest in climate change, people across Britain are starting to look at the changes they can make to their own lives. But there is more hesitation when it comes to paying for the technology which is going to drive down greenhouse gas emissions.
“The big exception to this rule seems to be EVs, where nearly half the households in the country are thinking about buying one. Yet consumers still need reassurance that there are enough public charging points to get them from A to B without being stranded before they go full throttle for battery powered cars.”
