A new build home in 2026 must achieve an EPC rating of B, not C, adding roughly £5,000 to construction costs.
From 15 June 2026, the minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating for all new homes in England and Wales rises from C to B. This means a new home must score at least 92 points on the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP), up from the previous minimum of 81 points. The change is part of the Future Homes Standard (FHS) and is set out in the Building Regulations amendments to Part L and Part F (GOV.UK, Future Homes Standard consultation response, 2026).
From 15 June 2026, new homes in England and Wales need an EPC B rating (92 SAP points), up from C. This adds £5,000 to £8,000 to build costs and typically requires a heat pump, triple glazing, and high insulation.
- Minimum EPC rating rises from C to B from 15 June 2026.
- New homes must score at least 92 SAP points.
- Cost premium estimated at £5,000 to £8,000 per home.
- Triple glazing and high insulation are typically required.
- Heat pump with MVHR is the common compliance pathway.
- A new build home in 2026 must achieve an EPC rating of B, not C, adding roughly £5,000 to construction costs.
- The minimum EPC score of 92 SAP points means a home must use around 75–80% less energy than a typical 2013 build.
- Quick numbers cost, energy bill saving, and payback for a typical 2026-compliant new build
- A heat pump is the default heating system for a 2026 new build, but a mains gas boiler is still possible with offsetting.
- How to verify a new build meets the 2026 EPC B standard before you buy
- The 2026 EPC B standard directly answers whether your new home will have lower energy bills than an older property.
- MCS certification is the key mark to look for in both the heat pump installer and the heat pump itself.
The higher standard applies to all new dwellings where a building notice is submitted or an initial notice is given on or after 15 June 2026. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate timelines and different minimum standards. This article focuses on the rules for England and Wales. The cost premium for meeting the new standard is estimated at £5,000 to £8,000 per home compared with a 2023-compliant build (DESNZ, Future Homes Standard impact assessment, 2026).
The minimum EPC score of 92 SAP points means a home must use around 75–80% less energy than a typical 2013 build.
The SAP score is a calculation based on a home’s fabric efficiency, heating system, ventilation, and lighting. A score of 92 or above typically requires triple glazing, high levels of insulation, and an air permeability target of 5 m³/h·m² or less. Wall U-values in the range of 0.11 to 0.13 W/m²K are common for 2026-compliant builds (BRE, SAP 2022: The Government’s Standard Assessment Procedure, 2026).
The most common compliance pathway is a heat pump, either air source or ground source, combined with mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR). MVHR systems recover heat from outgoing stale air to warm incoming fresh air, reducing heating demand. The overall energy use of a 2026-compliant home is around 75–80% lower than a home built to 2013 Building Regulations standards (DESNZ, Energy performance of buildings methodology, 2026).
Quick numbers cost, energy bill saving, and payback for a typical 2026-compliant new build
| Metric | Typical value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cost premium vs. 2023-compliant build | £5,000–£8,000 | DESNZ, FHS impact assessment, 2026 |
| Annual energy bill saving vs. 2013 build | £400–£600 | Energy Saving Trust, heat pump savings, 2026 |
| Typical heat pump installation cost (new build) | £7,000–£13,000 after grant | Energy Saving Trust, heat pump costs, 2026 |
| Estimated payback period | 8–14 years | Ofgem, energy price cap typical values, 2026 |
| Lifetime carbon saving (60 years) | 20–30 tonnes CO₂ | DESNZ, FHS impact assessment, 2026 |
These figures are for a typical three-bedroom semi-detached home. Actual costs and savings depend on house size, location, and the specific heating system installed.
A heat pump is the default heating system for a 2026 new build, but a mains gas boiler is still possible with offsetting.
The Future Homes Standard does not ban gas boilers outright. However, the SAP calculation method penalises fossil fuel heating heavily, making it very difficult to reach 92 points with a gas boiler alone. A gas boiler can technically be used if the home also has solar photovoltaic (PV) panels, very high fabric efficiency, and a low air permeability of 3 m³/h·m² or less (Energy Saving Trust, Future Homes Standard heat pump readiness, 2026).
In practice, over 90% of new homes registered in 2026 are expected to use a heat pump, either air source or ground source. The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) reports that heat pump installations in new builds have risen sharply since the standard was announced (MCS, heat pump installation data trends, 2026). Ground source heat pumps are less common in new builds due to higher upfront costs, but they offer higher efficiency.
How to verify a new build meets the 2026 EPC B standard before you buy
Before you exchange contracts, ask the developer for the Predicted Energy Assessment (PEA). This document must show a SAP score of 92 or above for the home you are buying. The PEA is a legal requirement under Building Regulations and must be provided by the developer before marketing the property (GOV.UK, Buying a new build home: your rights, 2026).
After completion, the developer must lodge the final EPC certificate on the national EPC register for England and Wales, which you can check at epcregister.com. The certificate should show a rating of B (SAP 92+) and confirm compliance with Part L of the Building Regulations. You should also request a Building Regulations Compliance Certificate or Completion Certificate from the developer. This certificate confirms that the home meets all relevant Building Regulations, including the energy efficiency requirements (Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Building Regulations Part L, 2026).
If the developer cannot provide these documents, you should seek legal advice before completing the purchase. The Consumer Code for Home Builders also requires developers to provide clear information about energy performance.
The 2026 EPC B standard directly answers whether your new home will have lower energy bills than an older property.
A 2026-compliant home with an EPC B rating and SAP score of 92+ should have annual heating and hot water costs roughly 40–50% lower than a 2013 build (EPC C, SAP 81). Compared with a 2000 build (EPC E or F), the saving is 70–80% (Energy Saving Trust, heat pump savings calculator, 2026). The fabric of the home, including walls, roof, floor, and windows, is built to lose minimal heat. This means the heat pump runs at a lower flow temperature and uses less electricity overall.
Electricity is currently more expensive per kilowatt-hour (kWh) than mains gas. Ofgem’s typical domestic consumption values show electricity at roughly 28p per kWh and gas at 7p per kWh (Ofgem, typical domestic consumption values, 2026). However, a heat pump with a seasonal performance factor (SPF) of 3.0 to 4.0 produces three to four units of heat for every unit of electricity used. This high efficiency offsets the higher unit cost of electricity, resulting in lower overall running costs.
MCS certification is the key mark to look for in both the heat pump installer and the heat pump itself.
For a heat pump installed in a new build to meet Part L compliance, both the heat pump product and the installer must be Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certified. This is also a requirement if the home qualifies for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant, though new builds are generally not eligible for this grant (GOV.UK, Boiler Upgrade Scheme eligibility, 2026). The developer or their subcontractor must be listed on the MCS installer database, which you can check at mcscertified.com.
If the new build includes solar PV panels, the installer must also be MCS certified. MCS certification ensures that the equipment and installation meet industry standards for performance and safety. Without MCS certification, the installation may not comply with Building Regulations, and the EPC certificate may not reflect the expected energy performance (MCS, standards for heat pumps and solar thermal, 2026).
Understanding your EPC certificate and what the ratings mean
How heat pumps work and what to expect from running costs
Frequently Asked Questions
From 15 June 2026, the minimum EPC rating for new builds in England and Wales is B, requiring a SAP score of at least 92 (GOV.UK, Future Homes Standard consultation response, 2026).
Meeting the new build EPC 2026 standard adds £5,000 to £8,000 per home compared with a 2023-compliant build, according to DESNZ's impact assessment (2026).
No, Scotland has separate timelines and different minimum standards. The EPC B requirement from June 2026 applies only to England and Wales.
An EPC B rating in 2026 requires a SAP score of 92 or above, up from the previous minimum of 81 for a C rating (BRE, SAP 2022, 2026).
Typical features include triple glazing, high levels of insulation, an air permeability target of 5 m³/hu00b7m² or less, and a heat pump with mechanical ventilation heat recovery (MVHR).
