mark harrison wrote:
I have been informed that both the upstairs and downstairs lighting
circuits are not earthed, the property was built in 1961.
....
The consumer unit was replaced in 2001 and on the paperwork it shows
there recommendations then to rewire lighting, we moved in property
last year.

It sounds as if the previous owners fell for one of those scams, er I
mean free wiring inspections whose standard ploy is to create FUD over
grey PVC, unearthed lighting circuits, and rewirable fuses ("may cause
sparks and fire" is the standard phrase). Subject to the conditions
others have already given you about metal fittings and provided you
don't intend to knock nails into the cabling at the precise point where
an earth might protect you -- forget about it.

Chris