Homeowners can save up to £250 a year off of their fuel bills if they improve the energy efficiency of their homes sufficiently, according to the Energy Saving Trust (EST).

Zoltan Zovody, the strategy manager for the organisation, claimed that adding insulation, putting a jacket on your water tank and using energy efficient bulbs were the most effective methods of saving energy.

The EST reports that if all the houses with unfilled wall cavities had them filled, enough energy to heat 1.4 million homes each year could be saved.

However, Mr Zovody also noted there was a range of "no cost" ways to improve energy efficiency.

He said: "There are a range of things people can do in their home that can be no cost such as switching appliances off standby and turning the lights off as you leave a room."

The UK government offers grants up to £2,700 to households on certain benefits to improve their heating and energy efficiency.

People considering carrying out renovations may wish to use self-storage to protect their belongings from damage during the work.

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