Brits go green to save the pennies

Never mind going green to save the planet, two in five Brits, 41%, admit to telling their friends they are being environmentally friendly, but secretly they are doing so to save money, according to new research from Legal & General.

Despite previous encouraging research findings which showed that 98% of Brits are now taking steps to make their home more environmentally friendly, it would appear that financial pressures may be higher on the agenda than environmental ones for some. For example, probably secretly due to the increasing fuel costs and wanting to save money, 26% of Brits said that they are turning off their heating, but this measure is also helping to save the planet.

The findings are from Legal & General's Changing Face of British Homes research, which asked over 2,000 adults whether any measures they are taking are to secretly save money, rather than the environment.

Women most guilty:

While 27% of women said they were taking green measures solely to be environmentally friendly, which is higher than the number of men at 17%, it would appear that more women are actually guilty of misleading their friends about their motives. Over two in five, 45%, women are taking green measures in order to appear environmentally friendly when secretly they are doing it to save money, compared to just 36% of men.

North most likely to be secretly saving:

Those living in the North of England are also most likely to appear to be saving the planet to their friends, but actually being green to save the pennies - 43% compared to 36% of those who live in Scotland.

Top three environmentally friendly measures Brits take to secretly save

1 Turning off the heating at home
2 Recycling/ reusing my plastic bags
3 Cutting down on ready-made meals

Garry Skelton, marketing director at Legal & General's general insurance business said: "The research shows that economic climate and environment issues are having an impact on the way we live. With the colder weather approaching, people are likely to resist turning on their heating to save money but we would advise Brits to conduct some checks on their property to ensure that they are safe, as well as energy efficient.

For example, checking that the loft insulation is at the recommended thickness of 250mm; that pipes that may freeze in cold weather are lagged and repairing any leaks or drafts. These are all measures that can help the environment but also help Brits to save money during the autumn and winter months.

Keeping up general maintenance on a home can also give people some peace of mind that their homes are in good condition for any possibly bad weather, as well as meeting a condition of their household insurance cover. Most household insurance policies require their customers to ensure that their property is maintained in a sound condition and kept in good repair."