Leading a greener lifestyle, in addition to making homes more energy efficient, could see people enjoying savings amounting to hundreds of pounds a year.

Katy Ward, from Beat That Quote, said that reducing electricity use and the levels of waste in the home could see people saving up to £1,400.

The Clean Energy Cash Back scheme - a new energy saving government initiative launched this month - allows a household using a solar energy system to benefit from an extra £830 a year.

Ms Ward explained that simple steps such as turning down the central heating by just one degree Celsius could see people saving as much as £65 annually on their utility bills, while investing in insulation could contribute further.

According to the Energy Saving Trust, a more efficient condensing boiler could reduce household bills by as much as £235 per year, in addition to reducing carbon emissions.