It may not come as a surprise to some – but where you live affects when you turn on the heating.

Not only that, how old you are affects this as well, suggests a new report looking into the heating habits of Brits.

The survey of 1,000 people by price comparison service Make it Cheaper found there is a clear divide currently splitting the country’s attitude to heating.

Scots appear much more tolerant of colder conditions, waiting until the outside temperature falls to a balmy 10.8°C before firing up their radiators.

Softer Londoners reach for the dial at a more mild average of 12.6°C.

Worst offenders when it comes to going early are residents of South Wales, who reach for the thermostat as soon as outside temperatures reach a paltry 13.5°C.

Thermostats settings are another clue to the divide: despite leaving their heating off for longer, Highlanders will set their thermostats to an average of just 19°C – the lowest setting in the UK.

In London on the other hand, people prefer to keep their homes heated to a cosy 21.5°C.

Make It Cheaper’s energy expert Scott Byrom believes these attitudes could lead to one of the most expensive winters yet: “A typical household will spend an average of £787 over the winter months on their home energy bills.”

Warning the average energy bill jumped by £300 over the last three years, he suggests switching to the cheapest tariff could save an average of £200 “over this winter alone”.

He adds: “According to the Energy Saving Trust, if you choose to reduce the temperature that you set your thermostat to by just one degree, you could save around £80 a year off your heating bills. This means, collectively, residents of London could save over £182 million.”

• heating, Make It Cheaper, North-South divide, Thermostat, UK energy