More than 17m people 'getting their hands dirty during the credit crunch'

The economic climate is causing Britons to be craftier when it comes to their money with DIY on the increase, a new report has found.

YouGov PLC findings revealed that all over the country people are aiming to make their pounds go further by going back to basics and doing things by themselves.

Over 17 million people are said to be tackling DIY projects and planning to make home improvements following the economic downturn

Furthermore, the research revealed that home improvement is being undertaken right across the class system, with equal take-up of activities across both the ABC1 and C2DE socio-economic groups.

The research was commissioned by fruit juice firm Grove Fresh and also found that around 25 per cent of homeowners have converted their house "into a self-sustainable eco-system" and are growing their own fruit and vegetables.

Recent research from Abbey suggested that the average cost of painting and decorating a typical home is £1,330, but a lick of paint throughout the home can add over £3,500 to its value, the Times reported.