Many have dormant plastic in their wallet

According to a report by Morgan Stanley, almost 50% of card holders in the UK carry credit cards in their wallet they have not used in the past 12 months.

The study reveals that on average each adult has 1.2 active cards. Only 23% of people have more than one card they regularly use and a quarter of people have one dormant card while 11% have two and some 10% have three dormant cards in their wallets.

Cards with expired interest free offers are most likely to go unused. Cards offering reward schemes are most likely to be used for everyday spending.

Patrick Muir, marketing director for the Morgan Stanley Credit Card remarked: "There has been much speculation about the increasing use of plastic in the UK.

"But our report shows that British cardholders are perhaps more savvy than they have been given credit for."