Which? published a policy report in September 2024 setting out consumer research on Energy Performance Certificates and six principles for reforming their content and design1. The research used a sample of 18 homeowners across the UK, recruited in three groups: those who had newly purchased homes, those who had made energy efficiency changes, and those planning improvements1. Between May and July 2024, Jigsaw Research conducted a three-stage qualitative study on behalf of Which?1.
The findings describe low engagement with the certificate. Only 3 out of 11 households with an EPC audit would recommend updating their EPC to friends or family, and most participants (eight out of 11) said their EPC did not appear to be accurate, reporting that descriptions of key aspects of their home, such as windows, roofs and heating systems, were incorrect1. The report also cites that one in four EPCs have discrepancies of more than 10% when reporting the property's floor area1. EPCs were introduced gradually for properties starting in 2008 and are currently valid for 10 years, which the report says means they are often outdated1. They are legally required when selling a home and can be valuable for informing decisions during the buying process1. The content and design of the EPC in England and Wales is different from the EPC in Scotland1.
The report sets out six principles: accessible, useful, relevant, integrated, accurate and up to date1. Among the applications it gives are a dashboard with four metrics and the key actions the property owner should take, and reducing the validity of EPCs to five years while making it easier for consumers to update their EPC by submitting evidence of improvements made by certified traders1. It also suggests considering improvements to the training and auditing of assessors that would improve the accuracy of assessments1.
"We have developed six principles for improving the content and design of EPCs"
The report places the work in the context of government activity. In 2020, the UK government launched an Action Plan aimed at making EPCs more "trusted, accurate, and reliable"1. According to the government's 2021 Progress Report, 11 out of the 35 actions were completed, with progress underway on the rest1. In 2023 the Scottish government launched a consultation covering the design and content of EPCs in Scotland and is expected to report on its findings towards the end of 20241. The report states that currently no date has yet been announced for when the consultation will be launched1. It also notes that a new version of the rating method, to be called the Home Energy Model, will allow more options and details to be included so that the ratings will more accurately reflect the features of the property1.
Why it matters for households
An EPC is the document a householder meets when buying or selling a home, and it is often used to determine eligibility for government grants and green financial products1. The research suggests that, as currently designed, it is not doing the job of making homeowners aware of their property's energy efficiency and the ways to improve it1. Participants described the certificate as too technical and lacking relatability, with data that often seems inaccurate, outdated and insufficiently explained, and recommendations that appear inflexible and disconnected from their priorities1. For a household weighing up insulation and glazing or a change of heating system, that matters: the report says energy efficiency is not a primary motivator for consumers, with cost and comfort placed above it, and that even when energy improvements were made by owners they were not prompted or informed by the EPC1. The report frames reform as part of supporting consumers to reduce their energy bills and make the changes necessary to cut carbon emissions and improve energy security1. The rules governing EPCs sit within the wider EPC regulations and reform landscape, and the report's proposals would change how often a certificate must be refreshed and what information it carries.
What happens next
The Scottish government consultation on EPC design and content, launched in 2023, is expected to report towards the end of 20241. No date has been announced for the launch of the consultation referred to in the report1. The report states that 11 of the 35 actions in the 2020 UK government Action Plan were completed, with progress underway on the rest1. No further timetable for EPC reform in England and Wales is given in the report.
Sources1 cited
- Transforming EPCs: Consumer Research Insights v2, media.product.which.co.uk