The EPC changes due in 2027 are the biggest overhaul of Energy Performance Certificates since they were introduced in 2007. From the second half of 2027, the single A to G rating is due to be replaced by four separate scores, worked out by a new calculation method called the Home Energy Model. Separately, privately rented homes are set to need the equivalent of band C by 1 October 2030.
This guide explains what is changing, when, and what it means if you are selling, letting or improving a home. It covers England and Wales. Much of it is government policy that still needs legislation, so some details may change. Last reviewed: October 2026.
What are the EPC changes?
- A new-look certificate. Four headline scores instead of one letter, expected from the second half of 2027 (it was originally planned for October 2026).
- A new calculation method. The Home Energy Model (HEM) is set to replace SAP for new homes and RdSAP for existing homes.
- A higher standard for rented homes. Under the Warm Homes Plan published in January 2026, the minimum for privately rented homes is set to rise from band E to band C by 1 October 2030.
- Already in place: RdSAP 10, the current method, has been used for all new domestic EPCs since June 2025.
The four new EPC scores
Today’s EPC gives one rating, based mainly on the estimated cost of running the home. The new certificate is set to show four headline scores:
- Fabric performance: how well the walls, roof, floor, windows and doors keep heat in.
- Heating system: how efficient and low-carbon the heating and hot water system is.
- Smart readiness: how well the home can use technology such as smart controls, solar panels and batteries to manage when it uses energy.
- Energy cost: estimated running costs, the closest thing to today’s rating.
Energy use and carbon emissions are expected to be shown as secondary information. The upshot is that a well-insulated home gets credit for its fabric whatever heats it, and a heating system is judged on its own performance rather than on the price of the fuel.
Why are EPCs changing?
The single rating mixes two different things together: how well a home holds its heat, and what its fuel costs. Because electricity costs more per unit than gas, an efficient heat pump can make a home look worse on today’s EPC than an older gas boiler. Fuel prices also move over a certificate’s 10-year life, so a cost-based rating can drift out of date. Splitting the rating into separate scores is meant to fix both problems.
What is the Home Energy Model?
The Home Energy Model is the government’s new calculation engine for EPCs. It works in half-hourly steps rather than the monthly averages used by SAP and RdSAP, which lets it model things like heat pumps, batteries and off-peak tariffs more realistically. That is what makes the smart readiness score possible.
For you, the visit stays much the same. An accredited assessor still surveys the home and records its construction, insulation, heating and renewables. The data simply goes into a different calculation. Read more in what the Home Energy Model means for homeowners and landlords.
RdSAP 10: the change that has already happened
Since June 2025, all new domestic EPCs have been produced using RdSAP 10. It records more detail about the home and uses updated carbon figures that treat grid electricity as cleaner than mains gas. If your EPC dates from before June 2025, a new assessment could give a different result, higher or lower, even if nothing about the home has changed.
What the changes mean for homeowners and sellers
- Your existing EPC stays valid for its full 10 years. There is no need to replace it early.
- When you next need an EPC to sell or let, you will get whichever format is in use at the time.
- Insulation and draught-proofing are the safest improvements. They help today’s rating and are expected to count directly towards the new fabric performance score.
- If you have improved the home since your last EPC, a new assessment may rate it higher. See EPCs for selling.
What the changes mean for landlords
Under the Warm Homes Plan, the government has set out these rules for privately rented homes in England and Wales:
- The standard: the equivalent of band C. Under the fabric-first approach, a home would need to reach C on fabric performance, plus C on either heating system or smart readiness. The energy cost score is for information only.
- The deadline: 1 October 2030, for new and existing tenancies.
- The cost cap: set to rise to £10,000 per property (from £3,500 today). If a home cannot reach C within the cap, an exemption can be registered.
- Penalties: set to rise to up to £30,000 per property (from £5,000 today).
- Until then: the current rules still apply. Rented homes must reach at least band E unless an exemption is registered.
The policy still needs new legislation, which is expected during 2027, so details may change. Our guide to the MEES regulations covers the current rules in full.
The 1 October 2029 cut-off
Under the plans, a rented home rated C or above under the current method before 1 October 2029 is expected to count as compliant until that EPC expires. That can be worth a lot if your property is already at C, or close to it with a small improvement. It does not help a home rated D or E today: the improvements are still needed, and it makes sense to plan them around the fabric-first standard.
If you are not sure where a property stands, a draft EPC shows the current rating and models which improvements would get it to C before you spend anything. More on EPCs for landlords.
Heating, heat pumps and solar under the new EPC
- Gas and oil boilers: under the government’s January 2026 proposals, a home heated mainly by a gas or oil boiler could not score C on the heating system score, however efficient the boiler. Hybrid systems would score D or below. That does not mean you would have to remove a working boiler: landlords could meet the 2030 standard through fabric performance plus smart readiness instead, for example with solar panels and smart controls. It does mean a new boiler will not help the heating system score, which is worth weighing before you replace one.
- Heat pumps: expected to score fairly under the new method. On today’s cost-based rating, a heat pump on its own may not lift the score, because electricity costs more per unit than gas. Getting the insulation right first also makes a heat pump cheaper to run. See heat pumps and your EPC.
- Solar panels: help today’s rating and are expected to count towards smart readiness. Keep the installer’s system details (size in kWp, roof pitch and orientation). Without them, an EPC has to use cautious default figures, and with them the panels can be credited accurately. See solar PV and your EPC.
- Insulation: the foundation of the new standard. Start with the loft and walls. See loft insulation and your EPC.
Key dates at a glance
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| June 2025 | RdSAP 10 is used for all new domestic EPCs |
| January 2026 | Warm Homes Plan sets out band C by 2030 for privately rented homes |
| 2026 to 2027 | Legislation for the new rules expected to pass |
| Second half of 2027 | New four-score EPC expected to launch, using the Home Energy Model |
| 1 October 2029 | Expected cut-off: rented homes rated C or above under the current method before this date count as compliant until that EPC expires |
| 1 October 2030 | Privately rented homes must reach the equivalent of band C |
What to do now
- Check your current EPC on the government EPC register: the rating, the date and the recommendations.
- If you let a home below band C, get a draft EPC to see which improvements would get it there.
- Put insulation and draught-proofing first, then look at heating, solar or smart controls.
- Keep paperwork and photos for any work you have done, especially insulation that cannot be seen. Evidence can make a real difference to the rating.
- Do not replace a valid EPC just because the format is changing, unless you have improved the home and want the rating to show it.
You can find more ideas in our guide to improving your EPC rating.
Frequently asked questions
When are EPCs changing?
The new four-score EPC is expected to launch in the second half of 2027. It is government policy but still needs legislation, so the date could move.
Is my current EPC still valid?
Yes. An EPC stays valid for 10 years from the date it was issued, whatever happens to the format.
Do I need a new EPC before the changes?
No. You only need a new EPC when you sell or let and your current one has expired. You may choose to get one if you have improved the home, or if you are a landlord with a property at or near band C before the October 2029 cut-off.
What is the deadline for landlords?
Privately rented homes in England and Wales are set to need the equivalent of band C by 1 October 2030. Until then, the current minimum of band E applies.
Will a heat pump improve my EPC?
On today’s rating, not always on its own, because the rating is based on running costs and electricity costs more than gas. Under the new EPC, heat pumps are expected to score well on the heating system score.
Will the assessment visit change?
Not much. An accredited assessor will still survey the home. The information collected goes into the new Home Energy Model instead of RdSAP.
We carry out EPCs across Kent, including Canterbury, Herne Bay, Whitstable, Faversham, Thanet, Deal, Dover, Folkestone, Ashford, Maidstone and Medway. Get your EPC quote or call 01304 626457.