Check the programmer on your heating and hot water to make sure the timings match your needs. If you don’t have a seven-day programmer fitted consider getting one.

Keeping the oven door closed while you are cooking helps keep your oven at a stable temperature. It can also improve your cooking whilst saving you energy.

Solid brick walls can be insulated internally or externally to reduce heat loss.

Save energy with your washing machine. Modern washing powders often let you achieve the same results with lower temperatures.

About a quarter of all our clean, drinkable water at home is flushed down the toilet. Place a sealed bottle of water or brick in your cistern to reduce this amount.

Wash fruit and vegetables in a bowl, not under a running tap, to cut water use. Use the leftover water for your houseplants or patio pots.

Keeping extract fans and vents clean and clear from obstruction reduces energy use and makes then work more efficiently.

Giving your plants’ roots a good soaking once or twice a week in dry weather is much better than lightly watering them every day because most of that water just evaporates away. However, new plants do need regular watering until they are established.

Make sure your radiators are clear so they can heat the space efficiently. Curtains or furniture can easily block them.

Remember to turn off the tap while brushing your teeth – a running tap wastes over 6 litres per minute.