EPC BY BAND
What each EPC band (A to G) means for energy costs, grant eligibility, and landlord compliance. Find your band, see what to do next.
Reviewed against primary sources
Last reviewed: 16 May 2026 · Next review due: 14 August 2026
A letter from A to G that scores how energy-efficient your home is, with A best and G worst. The score is calculated from your home's insulation, heating system, glazing, hot water setup, and lighting. An assessor visits, runs the data through standard government software (RdSAP), and the report sits on the public EPC register for ten years. Two near-identical houses on the same street can land in different bands purely on the heating system, so the band is a snapshot of one moment, not a permanent label.
Coming soon
More guides coming soon. In the meantime, check your grant eligibility.
Two minutes, a few questions about your home. We show which schemes apply at your current band and which upgrades move you up.
Common questions
Band D, with band E close behind. Together they cover roughly two-thirds of the English housing stock. Newer builds (post-2010) cluster at B or C, since modern building regulations push for higher efficiency. Pre-1900 stone-built and solid-wall properties drag the bottom of the range, often F or G. Flats tend to sit a band higher than houses of the same age because they share heat with neighbouring units.
Three things hinge on it: grant eligibility, what you can do as a landlord, and your annual energy bill. ECO4 targets bands D, E, F, and G with insulation and heating funding. Landlords legally cannot let a property below band E in England and Wales without a registered exemption, and the proposed minimum is rising to band C by 2030 for new tenancies. The gap between band G and band A bills is roughly £2,500 a year on a typical three-bed.
Insulation first, heating second, glazing third. The order matters because heat loss compounds: a heat pump fitted to a poorly insulated house works overtime and costs you in running bills. Loft insulation and cavity wall are usually grant-fundable through ECO4 or GBIS. For a heat pump, the £7,500 BUS grant cuts the upfront. Each band guide below covers what's realistic from where you're starting.
The free GOV.UK EPC register shows the rating for any property in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland. Search by postcode, pick the address, and the certificate loads with the band, the score, and the assessor's recommendations. Scotland uses its own register, the Scottish EPC Register. If your property has never been assessed (a remortgage, sale, or new tenancy triggers one), you'll need to book an assessor. Expect £60 to £120 for the inspection itself.