The Scottish Government has paused the Heat in Buildings Bill and intends to introduce it once the Scottish Parliament returns after the Scottish Election in May 2026, subject to the election outcome1. The Cabinet Secretary for Housing made a statement to the Scottish Parliament on 18 November 2025 about the draft Buildings (Heating and Energy Performance) and Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill1.
The government had intended to introduce a Heat in Buildings Bill in this parliamentary session, based on proposals announced to Parliament in April 20251. It says it wanted Parliament to scrutinise the Bill with the latest information, including the UK Government's Warm Homes Plan, and that this plan has been delayed1.
"That plan has been delayed and, with little time left in this parliamentary session, we therefore concluded that the Bill should be paused."
The draft Bill and draft Explanatory Notes have been published now to provide clarity to industry and stakeholders1. The government says it remains committed to decarbonising heat in buildings by 2045, a commitment restated in its draft Climate Change Plan published in November 20251.
The proposals consulted on in November 2023 set out what the legislation was expected to contain. These included prohibiting the use of polluting heating from 2045, requiring those purchasing a property to comply with the prohibition within a specified period after completion of the sale, requiring homeowners to meet a minimum energy efficiency standard by the end of 2033, and requiring landlords to meet that standard by the end of 20282. The consultation also proposed delaying the ban on installing oil and LPG boilers, and new coal heating, for off-gas-grid homes from 2026 to 20352. The consultation closed on 8 March 20242.
| Proposal | Date given |
|---|---|
| Prohibition on polluting heating | 20452 |
| Minimum energy efficiency standard, owner occupiers | End of 20332 |
| Minimum energy efficiency standard, private landlords | End of 20282 |
| Delay to oil, LPG and coal heating ban, off-gas-grid homes | From 2026 to 20352 |
The 2023 consultation stated an intention to pass the Heat in Buildings Bill by the end of that term of the Scottish Parliament, in May 20262. It also noted that the prohibition would apply only to the main heating system or systems of a property, and that it was not proposed to apply it to gas cookers or portable heaters used in emergencies3. It said it was not proposing to prohibit the sale of properties that do not meet the minimum energy standard by or after the backstop dates3. It said it was not proposing to set a minimum energy efficiency standard for non-domestic buildings, and that the Heat in Buildings Standard would not apply to the social rented sector, although that sector would remain on the same pathway3.
Why it matters for households
The Bill is the main route by which binding dates for home heating and energy efficiency in Scotland would reach owner occupiers and private tenants. Until it is introduced and passed, the 2045 prohibition on polluting heating and the 2033 and 2028 energy efficiency standards remain proposals rather than law. The pause means the timetable set out in 2023, which assumed passage by May 2026, has not been met2.
For a household, the practical effect is that no new legal obligation to replace a gas, oil, LPG or coal heating system, or to reach a minimum energy efficiency standard, arises from this Bill at present. The government has said plans will need to take into account the outcome of the 2026 Scottish election1. Existing schemes and standards, including those covering social housing in Scotland and privately rented homes in Scotland, are separate from this Bill. The wider division of powers over energy and buildings policy in Scotland is unchanged.
The 2023 consultation framed the transition as a matter of reducing exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices and increasing domestic energy security2. It also set out cost examples, including work quoted at around £8,500, a total cost of £14,000, a grant of £7,000, and zero interest loans through the Home Energy Scotland and Business Energy Scotland schemes2. The government has not reported revised cost figures alongside the pause.
What happens next
The government intends to introduce the Bill once the Scottish Parliament returns after the Scottish Election in May 2026, and says plans will need to take into account the outcome of that election1. It will engage with stakeholders on the draft Bill during this parliamentary session, including a consultation in early 2026 on heat network installation and maintenance licences1. No date for introduction beyond the return of Parliament after the election has been reported.