HOMEOWNERS in the South West are not doing enough to make their houses more energy-efficient, according to a survey by the National Housing Federation.

As fuel bills rocket over the winter, people are not taking measures to reduce their outgoings as much as possible, it shows.

The South West has among the highest energy prices in the country, with warnings already being made about the ability of the elderly and other vulnerable groups to pay to heat their homes.

While a majority of people say their home would benefit from measures such as draught-proofing around windows and doors or better loft insulation, less than half plan to take the necessary action.

And despite 29 per cent of respondents agreeing they need a more energy-efficient boiler, just 7 per cent of people said they would be installing one in the next 12 months.

But energy-saving lightbulbs fared better, with around one in four saying they would install them over the next year.

Simon Nunn, head of the National Housing Federation's south region, called on the Government to slash VAT on all energy-efficient products to 5 per cent to help boost sales.

"Energy-inefficient homes are bad news for the environment and bad news for fuel bills," he said. "The results of this poll show the Government still faces a major battle to win people over to the idea of investing in energy efficiency.

"Slashing VAT on products like energy-efficient boilers to 5 per cent would make a real difference for people wanting to do the right thing for the environment and benefit from lower prices."