People can reduce their monthly bills by simply changing their energy supplier, it has been advised.

Cathy Debenham, founder of YouGen, said that switching company is the "first step" for decreasing costs, but warned that the best policy for the long term is to improve a home's energy efficiency.

"If you've got a loft or cavity walls, there are amazing deals around at the moment, which will increase warmth and comfort immediately, and will have paid back their upfront cost in a year or two," Ms Debenham continued.

She went on to summarise that making properties energy efficient is the number one home improvement for the future.

Ms Debenham also underlined that generating your own electricity or renewable heat are also good options.

Recent research from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) found that private tenants across Britain are more likely than homeowners to accrue high monthly energy bills.