In a recent survey, the price comparison site found that there are 1.8million ‘ghost’ electricity customers and 1.3million ‘ghost’ gas customers in Britain, who are either deliberately not paying their bills, or have been ‘lost’ by their supplier.

The research also revealed that one in ten people have trouble identifying who their utilities supplier is.

“Our research uncovers the reality of millions of ghost customers who have slipped through the net, whether through deliberately keeping a low profile or just being lost by their supplier,” said Paul Schofield, head of utilities at moneysupermarket.com.

“This seems to be a common occurrence today, especially with younger customers who move more frequently and live in urban areas.

“My advice for people who are unsure of their current gas or electricity supplier is to take all reasonable steps to identify it; otherwise they could be landed with a hefty bill for unpaid energy usage.

“After a significant period of non-payment, there could also be complications over the amount you owe if you do not retain official proof of when you moved into the property and what your meter readings were at the time.”

Paul Schofield continued: “Gas prices have come down from their historic winter highs, so now is a much better time to come out of the closet than six months ago!

“Once you have identified your supplier and settled your bill, you can also work out whether you could save money by shopping around for a more competitive deal.”

Compare Gas and Electrcity Prices