The rating you need depends on what you are doing. Some rules are set in law, some by a lender and some by a grant scheme, and several of them have changed in 2026.
| What you are doing | Rating needed |
|---|---|
| Selling a home | Any rating, but you need a valid EPC |
| Letting a home in England or Wales | E or better, unless an exemption is registered |
| Getting a mortgage | No legal minimum. Some green mortgages need A or B |
| Boiler Upgrade Scheme (heat pump grant) | None. No EPC needed since 28 April 2026 |
| Warm Homes: Local Grant (England) | D, E, F or G |
| Warm Homes Loan Scheme | None stated. It is a loan from a lender |
| ECO4 | D to G if you own it, E to G if it is privately rented |
| Warm Home Discount | None. It is based on benefits |
Selling a home
You must have a valid EPC before you market the home, and give a copy to buyers. There is no minimum rating for a sale: a home rated G can be sold. Our guide to EPCs when selling covers the timing and what the agent needs.
If you are buying a home to let out, check the rating before you commit. It will need to reach E before it can be let.
Letting a home
A private rented home in England or Wales covered by the minimum energy efficiency standard needs an EPC of E or better, unless a valid exemption is registered. The government's January 2026 response plans to raise this to C by 1 October 2030, but that still needs new powers from Parliament and then regulations. The detail is in our guides on EPCs for landlords and EPC C by 2030.
Getting a mortgage
No law sets an EPC rating for a mortgage, and lenders decide their own criteria. Some lenders offer green mortgages with a lower rate for energy-efficient homes. NatWest's, for example, are for homes with a valid EPC of A or B, up to 85% of the home's value for a residential mortgage and 75% for most buy to let. Terms change, so check with the lender or a broker.
Grants and discounts
Boiler Upgrade Scheme
The grant towards a heat pump or biomass boiler no longer requires a valid EPC. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 removed that rule from 28 April 2026. The older rule that outstanding loft or cavity wall insulation suggestions had to be dealt with first was removed on 8 May 2024. If the home has a valid EPC, the installer gives its reference in the application. If it doesn't, Ofgem can ask for the reference of an expired one.
The grant is £7,500 towards an air-to-water or ground source heat pump, and your MCS-certified installer applies for you.
Warm Homes: Local Grant
This council-run grant in England pays for improvements such as insulation, heat pumps and solar panels. The home must be privately owned and have an EPC of D, E, F or G. Household income must usually be £36,000 a year or less, though some postcode areas and households on certain benefits qualify above that. If you do not know the rating, you can look it up on the register.
Warm Homes Loan Scheme
This government-funded loan went on GOV.UK on 28 October 2026. It pays for a heat pump, solar panels, a battery, a heat network connection, a domestic wind turbine or a micro hydroelectric system. You apply to one of the approved lenders, directly, through your installer or through your mortgage provider, not to the government.
The eligibility rules on GOV.UK do not mention an EPC. You must own the home, with or without a mortgage, it must be residential and in the UK, and you must pass the lender's credit and affordability checks. Lenders may add rules of their own. The work usually has to be done by an MCS-certified installer. You may be able to combine the loan with the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, but you cannot use it and other government funding for the same improvement.
ECO4
ECO4 pays for insulation and heating work through energy suppliers. An owner-occupied home must be rated D, E, F or G, and a privately rented home E, F or G, and the household must meet the scheme's own eligibility rules. ECO4 ends on 31 December 2026, and funded work has to be finished by then.
Warm Home Discount
The £150 discount off the electricity bill does not depend on the EPC. In England and Wales it goes to people who got certain means-tested benefits on 23 August 2026, such as Universal Credit, Housing Benefit or Pension Credit.
If you need a new EPC
An EPC lasts 10 years, and a new one records work done since the last. If you need one to sell, let or apply for a grant, request your exact quote.
What it costs
An EPC is priced by the home’s internal floor area. Guide prices:
- Up to 40 m²Studios and compact flats£65
- 41–55 m²1-bedroom flats£75
- 56–75 m²2-bedroom flats and small homes£85
- 76–95 m²2–3-bedroom homes£95
- 96–115 m²3–4-bedroom houses£105
- 116 m² and overLarge homes, 4+ bedroomsfrom£120
A floor plan at the same visit saves up to £35. Same-day lodgement is £15 extra, and a next-day visit with the EPC lodged that day is £35 extra. Your exact price is confirmed before you book.
See every priceFrequently asked questions
Is there a minimum EPC rating to sell a house?
No. You must have a valid EPC before you market the home and give it to buyers, but the law sets no minimum rating for a sale. A buyer who plans to let the home will need it to reach E.
What EPC rating do I need to rent out a property?
In England and Wales a private rented home covered by the minimum standard needs E or better, unless a valid exemption is registered. The government plans to raise this to C by 1 October 2030, but that still needs legislation.
Do I need a good EPC rating to get a mortgage?
No law sets one, and lenders set their own criteria. Some offer green mortgages with lower rates for homes rated A or B. NatWest, for example, needs a valid EPC of A or B, with a maximum loan to value of 85% for residential green mortgages.
Do I need an EPC for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?
Not since 28 April 2026, when the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 removed the requirement for a valid EPC. If the home has a valid EPC, the installer gives its reference in the application. If not, Ofgem can ask for the reference of an expired one.
What EPC rating do I need for the Warm Home Discount?
None. In England and Wales the Warm Home Discount is based on getting certain means-tested benefits on the qualifying date, which was 23 August 2026 for this winter, not on the EPC.
Do I need an EPC for a Warm Homes loan?
GOV.UK's eligibility rules for the Warm Homes Loan Scheme do not mention an EPC. You must own the home, it must be residential and in the UK, and you must pass the lender's credit and affordability checks. Lenders may set further rules of their own.
In your area
Ratings from EPCs lodged for existing homes, 01/01/2023 to 12/10/2026, from the GOV.UK register.
Sources
- The Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012, regulations 5 to 7, legislation.gov.uk. Checked 30/10/2026.The seller's and landlord's duties to have an EPC and give it to buyers and tenants. No minimum rating is set for a sale.
- Domestic private rented property: minimum energy efficiency standard, landlord guidance, GOV.UK (DESNZ). Checked 30/10/2026.The E minimum for private rented homes and the exemptions.
- Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes: government response, GOV.UK (DESNZ). Checked 30/10/2026.The planned C standard by 1 October 2030, which still needs legislation.
- Green Mortgages, NatWest. Checked 30/10/2026.Green mortgages for homes with a valid EPC of A or B; maximum loan to value 85% for residential and 75% for buy to let.
- The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2026 (SI 2026/390), legislation.gov.uk. Checked 30/10/2026.In force 28 April 2026. Removes the valid EPC requirement for an eligible property; a valid EPC's reference is given where one exists, or an expired EPC's where Ofgem requires it.
- The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2024 (SI 2024/524), legislation.gov.uk. Checked 30/10/2026.In force 8 May 2024. Omits regulation 6, the insulation requirements.
- Boiler Upgrade Scheme: property owners, Ofgem. Checked 30/10/2026.Grant amounts and the property, product and installer eligibility rules.
- Apply for the Warm Homes: Local Grant to improve a home, GOV.UK. Checked 30/10/2026.England only; privately owned homes with an EPC of D, E, F or G; household income usually £36,000 a year or less, with postcode and benefit routes above that.
- The Electricity and Gas (Energy Company Obligation) Order 2022, articles 13 and 14, legislation.gov.uk. Checked 30/10/2026.ECO4 measures at owner-occupied homes rated D to G and private rented homes rated E to G, with a household eligibility requirement.
- Extending the ECO4 end date: government response, GOV.UK (DESNZ). Checked 29/10/2026.ECO4 ends on 31 December 2026.
- Warm Home Discount Scheme, GOV.UK. Checked 30/10/2026.England and Wales: a £150 discount for people getting certain means-tested benefits on 23 August 2026.
- Warm Homes Loan Scheme, GOV.UK. Checked 31/10/2026.Published 28 October 2026. Loans from approved lenders for heat pumps, solar panels, batteries and other listed improvements; owners of residential property in the UK; usually an MCS-certified installer; no EPC rule stated.
Crown copyright material is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
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