Electrical Safety First found that 42 per cent of people will either definitely use, or are considering using, an electric heater to warm up a single room in their home because of concerns regarding the cost of central heating.
Of this group, 37 per cent said they were using an electric heater for the first time.
Some 90 per cent of those surveyed said they were concerned about the cost of heating their home this winter, up from 78 per cent this year.
A fifth (22 per cent) of those concerned about rising energy costs have bought an electric heater in the last year, 45 per cent of them from an online marketplace.
But Electrical Safety First, which is a charity, warned shoppers to buy heaters directly from reputable retailers.
“Heating your home should never come at the expense of your own safety,” said chief executive Lesley Rudd. “While portable heaters can be useful to heat a small space, they can pose a real risk to your home and your life if we make...