The government published its response to the consultation on energy performance certificate reform on 21 January 2026, alongside a response on Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) and the Warm Homes Plan1. The MEES response confirmed that landlords will need to upgrade their properties to meet EPC C across 2 metrics by October 2030, under regulations that have been in place since April 20201.
The EPC response confirmed four headline metrics for domestic EPCs1. The government has not reported which four metrics these are in the material available.
The Warm Homes Plan commits £15 billion of public investment to upgrade up to 5 million homes and help lift up to one million households out of fuel poverty by 20301. The Warm Homes Fund, a £5 billion financial transactions programme within that plan, includes £1.7 billion already allocated to consumer loans, supported by £300 million capital investment, with the remaining £3.3 billion available as innovative finance for investments in and loans to the building upgrade and retrofit sector1. Up to £600 million of the fund is allocated to support low-income households1.
A call for evidence on the Warm Homes Fund opened on 24 March 2026 and closes at 23:59 on 1 June 20261. The government said:
"We expect to set out the future direction for the Warm Homes Fund later in 2026."
Separately, the Regulator of Social Housing has published the Rent Standard 2026 for social landlords1. Ofgem published an update of its Debt Strategy in November 2025, including proposals for a Debt Relief Scheme aimed at around £1bn of debt built up by some consumers during the energy crisis1.
| Measure | Detail |
|---|---|
| MEES target | EPC C across 2 metrics |
| Deadline for rented homes | October 2030 |
| Warm Homes Plan investment | £15 billion |
| Homes to be upgraded | Up to 5 million |
| Households lifted out of fuel poverty by 2030 | Up to 1 million |
| Warm Homes Fund total | £5 billion |
| Allocated to consumer loans | £1.7 billion, plus £300 million capital |
| Remaining for innovative finance | £3.3 billion |
| Allocated to low-income households | Up to £600 million |
Why it matters for households
For anyone renting privately, the confirmed October 2030 deadline sets a fixed point by which the property must reach EPC C on two metrics. That matters for MEES and the minimum standards for rented homes because it determines what a landlord is obliged to do, and by when, rather than leaving the standard as an aspiration. The EPC regulations and reform response also changes how a certificate is scored, which affects how a home's rating is read and compared.
For owner occupiers, the Warm Homes Fund is the mechanism through which the government intends to spread the upfront cost of measures such as solar panels, batteries, heat pumps and insulation over time, rather than requiring payment in full at the point of installation1. The £600 million earmarked for low-income households indicates that part of the fund is intended to reach homes that cannot currently fund upgrades themselves1. The EPC C target remains the benchmark against which progress is measured.
Energy independence at household level depends on the physical state of the property: how much heat escapes, how the home is heated, and whether it can generate or store its own electricity. The confirmed metrics and the funding structure set the framework within which those decisions are made, but the specific eligible measures and rates have not been reported.
What happens next
The Warm Homes Fund call for evidence closes at 23:59 on 1 June 20261. The government has said it expects to set out the future direction for the fund later in 20261. The MEES deadline for privately rented homes is October 20301.