What is an EPC?
(And why it actually matters)
Not exciting. But genuinely worth 10 minutes of your time.
Most people get an Energy Performance Certificate when they sell or let their home, glance at the coloured chart, and never look at it again. Completely understandable.
But that certificate is actually a roadmap to saving money — and right now, there's government cash available to help you follow it. Grants of up to £7,500 for heat pumps, free insulation schemes, and up to £30,000 through the Warm Homes Plan. Your EPC is the key that unlocks them.
So let's walk through what an EPC actually is, what's on it, and — most importantly — what you can do with it.
What is it, in plain English?
An Energy Performance Certificate rates your home from A (best) to G (worst) for energy efficiency. Think of it like the coloured sticker on a washing machine, but for your whole house.
What the rating actually means
92–100 — Extremely efficient.
New-builds, Passivhaus. Very rare — less than 1% of UK homes.
81–91 — Very efficient.
Well-insulated with modern heating. Most new-builds land here.
69–80 — The government's target for all homes.
Good insulation, decent heating. Where they want everyone to get to.
55–68 — Average UK home.
Most houses built before 2000 sit here. Room for improvement.
39–54 — Below average.
Likely poor insulation, older heating system. Noticeably higher bills.
21–38 — Poor.
High energy bills, probably draughty. Significant improvements needed.
1–20 — Very poor.
Extremely expensive to heat. Urgent improvements needed.
What's actually on the certificate
Your EPC isn't just a letter grade. It contains several sections, and each one is worth understanding:
Current rating vs potential rating
This is the “I'm a D, but I could be a C” moment. The potential rating shows what your home could achieve if you made the recommended improvements. The gap between these two numbers is your opportunity.
Estimated energy costs
Broken down by heating, hot water, and lighting, with a total per year. Important caveat: these use standardised prices that are often out of date — not current Ofgem rates. Treat them as relative comparisons, not actual bill predictions.
Recommended improvements
A list of upgrades — insulation, heating changes, renewables — with estimated savings and what rating you'd reach after each one. This is the section that matters most for grants.
Environmental impact rating
A separate A–G scale for CO₂ emissions. Less relevant to your wallet, but increasingly relevant to mortgage lenders and buyers.
Property details
Floor area, wall type, roof insulation, window glazing, heating system. Worth checking for accuracy — assessors sometimes get things wrong, and errors can affect your rating.
Why it matters right now (not just when you sell)
£Grants unlock based on your EPC
The recommendations section of your EPC literally tells the government what your home needs. That list determines what grants you're eligible for:
BUS grant — £7,500 towards a heat pump. Your EPC shows the assessor recommended one.
GBIS — free or heavily subsidised insulation. Based on what your EPC says your walls and loft need.
Warm Homes Plan — up to £30,000 for low-income households. EPC recommendations drive eligibility.
Your EPC is your eligibility ticket. Without one, you can't access most of this funding.
⌂Landlords — it's becoming mandatory
MEES (Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards) currently requires an E rating minimum for rental properties. The direction of travel is towards C by 2030. That affects 4.6 million privately rented homes.
If you're a landlord with D, E, F, or G rated properties, the time to plan is now — not when the deadline hits.
↑Selling your home
Buyers see your rating on Rightmove before they even book a viewing. Research suggests C-rated homes sell for 3–5% more than D-rated equivalents. Mortgage lenders are increasingly factoring energy costs into affordability calculations too.
⚡Your bills
The gap between a D and a C isn't abstract — it's real money every month. With the Ofgem price cap at £1,758/year for a typical household (Q1 2026), the difference between an inefficient and a reasonably efficient home is hundreds of pounds annually.
“My EPC is 10 years old — is it still valid?”
Technically, yes. An EPC is valid for 10 years from the inspection date.
But energy prices have changed massively since then. The estimated costs on an EPC from 2015 are based on prices from a different world — they'll look laughably low compared to what you're actually paying now.
More importantly, a fresh assessment (£60–£120) might reveal grant eligibility you didn't know about. If you've made any improvements since the last assessment — new boiler, loft insulation, double glazing — your rating might be better than you think.
We're not scaremongering. An old EPC still works as a legal document. But if you're thinking about grants, selling, or just understanding your bills, a fresh one is a small investment that could pay for itself many times over.
How to get one (or get a new one)
Find an accredited assessor — search by postcode on the EPC Register.
Book the visit — costs £60–£120. The assessment takes about an hour.
Get your certificate — usually within a few days. It's uploaded to the national register and you get a copy.
Or — enter your postcode on our site to see what EPC data we already hold for your address. You might not need a new one.
What to do with it
Don't file it and forget it. Here's the action plan:
Read the recommendations section. This is your personalised improvement list, in order of impact.
Check grant eligibility for each recommendation. Many improvements are partially or fully funded right now.
Start with the cheap wins. LED bulbs, draught-proofing, hot water tank jacket — small cost, immediate savings.
Plan the big ones. Insulation, heating upgrades, renewables. Use grants to make them affordable.
Use our site to see the full picture. Enter your postcode and we'll show you everything we know about your home's energy performance.
Book an EPC assessment
Book an EPC assessment
A qualified assessor visits your home and produces a full EPC report. Usually takes about an hour.
EPC Register
Official government register — check if you already have a valid EPC
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See what we know about your home
Enter your postcode and we'll show your EPC rating, recommended improvements, and which grants you might be eligible for.
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