The Scottish Government's public consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill ran from 28 November 2023 to 8 March 2024 and received over 1,600 responses, with a wide range of views expressed1. It included 28 questions seeking stakeholders' views on proposals that may be included in a Bill1. The consultation analysis was published on 29 January 20262.
The consultation proposed a Heat in Buildings Standard covering heating and energy efficiency. It set out plans to reconfirm that the use of polluting heating systems would be prohibited after 2045; to require those purchasing a home or business premises to end their use of polluting heating systems within a fixed period following completion of the sale; to require homeowners to meet a reasonable minimum energy efficiency standard by 2033; and to require private landlords to meet that standard by 20281. The consultation paper said the period allowed after a sale was likely to be between two and five years3.
The most prevalent theme across all questions in the analysis was that the Scottish Government would need to provide substantial support to see change on the scale desired, with most calls focused on grants, subsidies, zero or low-interest loans, or funding to cover all or most of the costs2. The analysis also recorded that the cost to decarbonise all households in Scotland was estimated at £23.5bn to £26bn by 2030, and that current Scottish Government support has a budget of £1.8bn for the Parliamentary term, covering all buildings including non-domestic2. At the time of the consultation, the retail price of electricity per kWh was approximately four times more expensive than gas2.
The Scottish Government said it had made significant changes to the Bill in response to the concerns raised. It said the Bill will not prohibit the use of polluting heating systems in individual homes or buildings, and will instead set a national target to decarbonise all buildings by 2045 with a duty on Ministers to publish a strategy1. It will introduce powers to set minimum energy performance standards for all buildings with a polluting heating system in future regulations, allowing for exemptions and alternative compliance routes, targeted towards owner-occupied homes and non-domestic buildings, with similar standards for private and social rented homes taken forward separately1.
"In response to concerns about affordability and fairness, the Bill will not prohibit the use of polluting heating systems in individual homes or buildings. Instead, it will set a national target to decarbonise all buildings by 2045 and will place a duty on Ministers to publish a strategy setting out the actions they will take to meet this target."
The consultation paper set out the following proposed dates.
| Proposal | Date |
|---|---|
| Private landlords meet minimum energy efficiency standard | 20281 |
| Homeowners meet minimum energy efficiency standard | 20331 |
| Public buildings to use clean heating | 20381 |
| Prohibition on polluting heating systems | 20451 |
On 18 November 2025 the Scottish Government published the draft Buildings (Heating and Energy Performance) and Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill, which it intends to introduce in the next Parliamentary session, subject to the outcome of the Scottish Parliament Election in May 20265. Regulations introducing a new EPC rating system, redesigned certificates and strengthened quality assurance oversight of the EPC assessor market are planned to come into force in October 20261. A separate consultation on a Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard for the domestic private rented sector ran from 6 June to 29 August 2025, proposing that all private rented properties reach EPC Heat Retention Rating Band C before being let, unless exempt, with views sought on applying this to all new lets from 2028 and all lets from 20331.
Why it matters for households
The proposals as consulted on would have reached owner occupiers, private tenants and buyers in Scotland, with the point of property purchase acting as a trigger to end polluting heating within a fixed period1. The redrafted approach removes the prohibition on polluting heating in individual homes and instead sets a national 2045 target, with minimum energy performance standards to be set later in regulations that allow exemptions and alternative compliance routes1. For a household, that shifts the immediate question from a fixed legal requirement on a specific property to a framework whose detail is still to be set. The consultation analysis recorded that traditional buildings, flats and rural properties were frequently noted as less suitable for both energy efficiency improvements and clean heating systems, and that concerns were raised about a lack of skilled people to install and maintain clean heating systems, particularly in rural areas2. The Scottish Government has said it continues to press the UK Government to rebalance gas and electricity prices so that running costs for clean heating are less than those of polluting systems1. How policy of this kind is proposed and changed is set out in the site's guide to energy consultations, and the devolved position is covered in energy and buildings policy in Scotland.
What happens next
The Scottish Government intends to introduce the draft Buildings (Heating and Energy Performance) and Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill in the next Parliamentary session, subject to the outcome of the Scottish Parliament Election in May 20265. Regulations for a new EPC rating system are planned to come into force in October 20261. The Scottish Government has said any secondary legislation or regulations needed in future would be subject to further consultation1.
Sources5 cited
- [Proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill: Consultation
- Scottish Government consultations
- Citizen Space](https://consult.gov.scot/energy-and-climate-change-directorate/proposals-for-a-heat-in-buildings-bill), consult.gov.scot
- 2. Overarching qualitative themes - Delivering net zero for Scotland's buildings - Heat in Buildings Bill: consultation analysis - gov.scot, gov.scot
- Delivering Net Zero for Scotland’s Buildings - A Consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill, gov.scot
- Delivering Net Zero for Scotland’s Buildings - A Consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill, gov.scot
- Energy efficiency in homes - Energy efficiency - gov.scot, gov.scot