Low Carbon: Reduce your carbon footprint with loft insulation

"We did a clear-out in our maisonette," says homeowner Will Rowberry. "It was hugely satisfying and made us money. A coat we'd inherited fetched nearly £200 at a local secondhand clothes shop.
"We've also taken old pictures and furniture to an auction house so we'll get another wedge of cash once they've been sold."

Meanwhile, everything from tools, clothes and knick-knacks can be turned into cash at car boot sales. Alternatively, you can give away unwanted items to charity shops or through exchange networks like Freecycle and Freegle.

Research by the Energy Saving Trust has shown that a quarter of the heat in an uninsulated house is lost through the roof and a third through the walls.

Across the UK, 13 million homes have less than the recommended loft insulation of 270mm. It costs around £250 for a specialist to fit it, but bringing your insulation up to this standard will cut your fuel bills for many years to come. You could also save £115 a year by insulating your wall cavities. This only takes a couple of hours and can be done from outside your property.

The costs of installing loft or cavity wall insulation pay for themselves within several years. And that doesn't include the money you can make from selling your unwanted clobber. Plus, insulation can also add value to your home, and improve its energy-efficiency score.

Offers are widely available to help with the cost of both loft and cavity wall insulation and for some it's absolutely free. The ACT ON CO2 advice line can tell you what offers and grants are available in your area. In addition, the ACT ON CO2 website has information on what you need - whether you want to do it yourself or get specialists in.

Energy and Climate Change Minister, Joan Ruddock, says: "Forty per cent of the UK's CO2 emissions are a result of personal choices. Insulating your home properly brings significant benefits in reducing your carbon footprint and saving you money."