Efforts to cut emissions and turn Britain green are being undermined by the growing number of people living alone.

A new Social Trends report found that domestic energy consumption had soared in the past 30 years, not because people are refusing to turn their lights off at home, but because there are so many more homes to light.

Energy consumed to heat homes has grown by a third since 1971 to the equivalent of almost 30 million tonnes of oil a year, while energy to light homes and run household appliances has rocketed by 135 per cent in the period.

Statisticians at the Office for National Statistics who compiled the Social Trends report blamed the surge on the number of people now living alone. One-person households comprise 29 per cent of all homes compared with only 18 per cent in 1971 — a result largely of the higher divorce rate and longer life expectancy.

“This has also been reflected in the type of housing now being built,” said Abigail Self, editor of the report. “Half of all new builds are one or two-bedroom flats, compared with just 15 per cent in 1996.”

The report also found that households had embraced the recycling message with enthusiasm. Almost one third (31 per cent) of household rubbish is now recycled, compared with seven per cent in 1996. That means the amount going to land-fill sites has fallen to 58 per cent from 84 per cent a decade ago.

Households have been less receptive to the message to leave the car at home, with two thirds of all journeys being made by car and twice as many miles being travelled by car in 2006 than in 1971.

Half of the population disagreed that short journeys of less than 2 kilometres (1.3 miles) could “just as easily be walked or travelled by bus or bicycle”. “The car is certainly king with 28 per cent of commuting done by car and 40 per cent of leisure trips,” said Ms Self.

Respondents were also sharply divided on air travel. While 29 per cent said that they had already cut back on the amount they fly, 32 per cent said that they “didn't really want to do this”.

The number of domestic flights was five times higher in 2006 than in 1971 and flying is now the fastest-growing means of transport.

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