Energy bills, EPC ratings and the help available to cut them are closely linked, but the details are spread across a dozen government and council pages. This guide brings the essentials together for homeowners, tenants and landlords in Kent, as of November 2026.
What an EPC tells you
An Energy Performance Certificate rates a home from A (most efficient) to G (least) and estimates what it costs to heat, light and supply hot water. A home needs one to be sold or let, and it lasts 10 years.
- Rating and score: a band from A to G, with a score out of 100 or more.
- Estimated running costs: heating, hot water and lighting per year, at fuel prices when the EPC was done. Real bills also depend on how the home is used.
- Recommended improvements: what would raise the rating, with indicative costs, in the order that helps most.
- Public record: every EPC is on the government register, so anyone can check a home’s rating free.
Kent in numbers
Nearly half of Kent homes (48% of 366,458 on the register) are rated D or below. Whitstable is furthest behind at 54%, with Herne Bay and Thanet at 53% and Deal at 52%; Ashford is closest to C, at 40% below. More than 105,000 homes have a latest EPC over 10 years old. See the figures for your town.
What is changing
Privately rented homes in England and Wales must reach Band C by 1 October 2030 under the government’s Warm Homes Plan. Rented homes need E or above today.
- Fines of up to £30,000 per property under the new rules.
- Existing C ratings count: a home rated C on an EPC issued before 1 October 2029 is treated as compliant until that EPC expires.
- New-style EPCs are due in the second half of 2027, using the new Home Energy Model. See EPC changes explained.
- Tenants: a better-rated home usually means lower bills, and landlords will need to plan work over the next few years. Landlords can use the landlord EPC checker to see how far a home is from C.
Help with energy bills and home upgrades in Kent
What you can get depends on your income and the work planned. Schemes change often, so check before committing.
| Help | Who it’s for | What it gives | How to get it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boiler Upgrade Scheme | Homeowners and landlords in England and Wales | £7,500 off a heat pump; £2,500 for air-to-air heat pumps and heat batteries | An MCS-certified installer applies and takes it off the bill |
| Warm Homes Loan Scheme | Homeowners, subject to the lender’s affordability checks | Low- or zero-interest loans, e.g. up to £15,000 for solar panels or a battery, £20,000 for an air-to-water heat pump | Through named lenders as it rolls out; the first 10 were announced in October 2026 |
| Warm Homes: Local Grant and council schemes | Lower-income households | Insulation, heating and solar, often free | Through your district council: Canterbury, Thanet, Dover, Folkestone & Hythe, Swale, Ashford and others |
| ECO4 | Lower-income households | Insulation and heating via energy suppliers | Closes 31 December 2026, with no ECO5 planned |
Free, impartial advice is also available from Citizens Advice and your council’s energy advice team. For more on heat pump and solar funding, see what the Warm Homes Plan means for local homes.
Five practical tips
- Check your current EPC. It is free by postcode. An old EPC, or one where details were assumed rather than checked, may rate a home lower than it should.
- Keep the paperwork. Assessors can only record what they can see or prove, so keep certificates and guarantees for insulation, windows, heating and solar.
- Do the cheap things first. Draught-proofing, topping up loft insulation, LED bulbs and good heating controls (a thermostat and radiator valves) cost little and cut bills.
- Insulate before you replace heating. For bigger jobs, deal with the walls, loft and floors first; solar panels are one of the most reliable ways to lift today’s rating.
- Be wary of cold calls offering “free grants”. Check with your council or Citizens Advice before signing anything.
Check your own EPC in four steps
- Go to our free Check your EPC tool (no sign-up), or the government’s Find an energy certificate service.
- Type in your postcode and choose your address.
- See the rating, when the certificate expires and its estimated running costs.
- Look at the recommended improvements; landlords can see how far the home is from Band C.
Need a new or updated EPC? Get a quote from our Herne Bay team, or call 01304 626457.
Sources: Energy Performance of Buildings Register (MHCLG), October 2026 (contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0); Elmhurst Energy; Folkestone & Hythe District Council; Homebuilding & Renovating; Selectra; Kent County Council. Checked 4 November 2026.