Energy switching is an activity that more than 13 million households across the UK have never been involved in.

New research commissioned by Virgin’s rewards club, Virgin Red, finds that if these consumers made the move to a green energy supplier, they could reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 30.5 million tonnes.

A recent survey by Atomik Research shows that nearly 50% of households are looking for ways to help reduce their carbon footprint.

Charlotte Sjoberg, a spokesperson at Virgin Red, said: “Price, plus making environmental decisions, are the top reasons billpayers look to switch energy providers, but still, one in four have never switched or haven’t switched for ten years or more.”

According to official data, the UK residential sector is responsible for 15% of the country’s carbon emissions.