Are some New Zealanders making drastic personal sacrifices just to pay their power bills?

A nationwide survey suggests 45 per cent of those surveyed are skimping on essentials, such as visits to the dentist or the doctor because of the increasing cost of electricity and gas.

Visits to the doctor are being pushed aside so people can pay for their power bills.

And we're also skimping on holidays (48 per cent) and eating out (58 per cent) so we can be either warmer or cooler depending on the time of year.

These are the findings of a nationwide survey conducted on behalf of Knauf, a global home insulation company. The survey sample group was more than 400 New Zealanders and was conducted in December.

The survey found that 50 per cent of us 'noticed a rise in our energy bills over the last year”. And with the average house spending $2000 a year on power and gas, it's suggested 45 per cent of those surveyed had to making drastic savings elsewhere.

But the survey doesn't make sense to Trustpower.

'It certainly doesn't reflect what we are seeing,” says Trustpower community relations manager Graeme Purches. 'And we trade all over New Zealand.”

But Trustpower fully supports home insulation. 'We agree that installing insulation where there is none, or in some cases improving existing insulation, can reduce energy bills.”

The marketing manager for Knauf, Claire Cunliff, says people who depend on artificial heating and cooling often don't realise if they don't have enough insulation it can mean less efficient use of appliances and therefore higher energy bills.

'And as a consequence many families are feeling the pinch.”

The company research says the average household uses 63 per cent of its energy on heating and cooling. Despite spending more on energy bills, almost 60 per cent of kiwis still feel uncomfortable in their homes during the warmest and coldest months of the year.

They say their research also shows rising energy costs have affected one in two New Zealanders with many compromising their health by cutting back on medical treatment.

However, Trustpower says Government statistics show that for many regions, energy costs have been 'pretty static for well over a year”.

Graeme says trying to talk about energy use based on a 'simplistic survey asking pre-determined questions without demographics is flawed”.

He says the claim Kiwis use 63 per cent of their energy powering heating and cooling appliances is misleading and the suggestion 60 per cent are uncomfortable during the hottest and coldest months would suggest to him those surveyed were from regions with extremes of temperature.

He says the comment regarding 'sacrifices” reflects statistics generally attributed to low and/or fixed income households, typically those in retirement or on benefits.