Leaving the heating on will not be an option for many Britons this winter as the energy bill crisis bites.

New polling conducted by Savanta ComRes before the energy regulator announced its price cap rise, found that 23% of adults would not turn their heating on at all this winter.

The survey, which asked 2,000 people how they would deal with soaring bills, also suggests that nearly 27% of parents with children under the age of 18 will do the same.

The research also shows that seven-in-ten said they would switch their heating on less, while one-in-ten said they would take out a loan to help them afford their bills.

Christine Jardine, the Liberal Democrats’ Cabinet Office spokesperson, said: “It is a national scandal that parents are having to choose between heating their homes and feeding their children. It shouldn’t be like this.”