The study by E.ON found that 90% of people know how much they need to buy a licence, 74% know the monthly cost of Netflix, but only 37% can say how much their monthly energy bill will set them back.

Two thirds (64%) of UK adults claim they have a good idea of how much their energy bill will vary month on month, but only one in ten (14%) know exactly when their energy bill is due or when their payment will be taken.

Britons are also more likely to know the cost of six free range eggs and a first class stamp than the running costs of everyday domestic appliances such as kettles, dishwashers and hairdryers and the cost of their monthly energy bill, the findings found.

When asked which household outgoings had surprised them most in the past, energy bills come out top with a third (33%) of people failing to anticipate how much they’d cost.

“Not being able to anticipate how much routine household outgoings will cost can be frustrating and make it really difficult for people to manage their finances,” said David Bird, E.ON’s residential and customer operations director.

The research coincides with the launch of E.ON’s new Smart Pay As You Go payment option which gives customers more control over their energy use and spend.

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