The Government announced in March 2026 that regulations have been put in place to implement the Future Homes Standard and Future Buildings Standard, according to the Climate Change Committee's progress report to Parliament1. The Electrical Contractors' Association (ECA) said the standards "will come into effect from March 2027"2, while NAPIT reported that "from March 2028 new homes will be built with solar panels and heat pumps"3. The two dates are not reconciled in the published material.
The standards cover new homes and non-domestic buildings in England. ECA said they "will ensure new homes emit, on average, at least 75% less carbon as a similar new build from 2013" and that they "mandate solar PV and heat pumps are installed in the majority of new homes"2. CIBSE described the changes as updates to Approved Documents L and F, intended to reduce carbon emissions in new homes and non-domestic buildings by up to 75% compared with the 2013 standard, introduced from 20274. NAPIT noted exceptions, "including high-rise buildings", where on-site renewable electricity generation would not apply3. The MCS Foundation said the standard "will require all new homes to have solar panels, and a heat pump or connection to a low-carbon heat network"5.
The MCS certification body said the standard means "the vast majority of new homes in England will have solar panels and low-carbon heating systems (such as heat pumps) by default from 2028"6. It reported that 100,000 certified installations were carried out on new homes in 2025, 28% of all certified installations6. The MCS Foundation estimated that a household in a new-build home with solar panels and a heat pump "could save over £1,000 a year", that heat pump installations "could increase by as much as 500%", and that solar on all new homes could add 6GW of subsidy-free generating capacity, "equivalent to the capacity of two Sizewell C nuclear power stations"5.
"I'm delighted to see a fabric-first approach and energy efficiency mandated in new builds from next year. ECA is a strong advocate for the transition to net zero and the deployment of well-designed, professionally installed low-carbon technologies."
Two trade bodies raised safety concerns about plug-in solar, which the Government has said will be available in shops "within months" for existing homeowners3. ECA said many such products have "variable build quality, no consistent UK safety standards, questionable long-term reliability, and connectors and cabling that are not designed for prolonged outdoor exposure in UK conditions", and that a DIY install "could overload the system and cause fire and electrocution"2. NAPIT said the announcement "does raise concerns over safety" and that it looks forward to working with industry organisations on a safe roll out3.
| Item | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon reduction | At least 75% less than a 2013 new build | 2 |
| In force | March 2027 (ECA); March 2028 (NAPIT) | 2 |
| Required in most new homes | Solar PV and heat pumps | 2 |
| Exceptions | Include high-rise buildings | 3 |
| New-build installations, 2025 | 100,000 certified, 28% of all certified | 6 |
Why it matters for households
The standards apply to new buildings, so they change what a newly built home comes with rather than what an existing home must do. For a household buying or renting a new home, the expectation is that solar generation and low-carbon heating are fitted as standard rather than added later, which shifts the running-cost profile of the property from the outset. The Climate Change Committee's separate assessment found that a typical household with a gas boiler and petrol car would save around £1,210 a year by installing solar panels and switching to a time-of-use tariff, a heat pump and an electric vehicle, and that a rural household with an oil boiler and a diesel car could save around £1,880 a year1. It also found that many households would not currently save from switching to a heat pump alone, and that not all homes are suitable for solar panels or time-of-use tariffs1.
For existing homes, the standards do not impose requirements. The route to lower-carbon heating and on-site generation in an existing property runs through separate schemes and rules, including building regulations for heating systems and the grants available in England and Wales. The practical effect of the new-build requirement is that the technologies become more common in the housing stock, which bears on heat pump supply chains and installer capacity, and on how carbon monoxide safety and electrical safety are handled as gas connections are removed from new properties.
What happens next
CIBSE said it will publish its analysis of the technical implications in the coming days, including whether the changes meet the intent of delivering "zero carbon ready" buildings, and that the Government has published its response to a call for evidence on Approved Document O covering overheating, with a review of Part O announced4. MCS said its redeveloped installer scheme is "rolling out over the coming months"6. The MCS Foundation said it will be critical that housebuilders ensure every installation is delivered by an MCS certified installer, to MCS standards5. The Government has said plug-in solar panels will be available in shops "within months" for existing homeowners3.
Sources6 cited
- Progress in reducing emissions 2026 report to Parliament - Climate Change Committee, theccc.org.uk
- ECA welcomes Government’s Future Homes Standard but warns safety could be compromised, eca.co.uk
- NAPIT Welcomes Future Homes Standards Announcement, napit.org.uk
- CIBSE welcomes the updated Future Homes and Buildings Standards regulations, cibse.org
- Future homes need standards - MCS Foundation, mcsfoundation.org.uk
- The Future Homes Standard: a landmark moment for the small-scale renewables sector - MCS, mcscertified.com