More than two million households plan to avoid turning on their central heating this winter - a 22% increase on last year - for fear of soaring energy bills, a survey suggests.Those who live alone are the most likely to avoid using the central heating, with one in 10 solo dwellers planning to find alternative methods to keep warm, according to the poll of 2,000 people for comparison site Uswitch.One in 20 households with younger children (5%) say they will not be turning the heating on.

More than two million households plan to avoid turning on their central heating this winter - a 22% increase on last year - for fear of soaring energy bills, a survey suggests.Those who live alone are the most likely to avoid using the central heating, with one in 10 solo dwellers planning to find alternative methods to keep warm, according to the poll of 2,000 people for comparison site Uswitch.One in 20 households with younger children (5%) say they will not be turning the heating on.