Improving the Energy Efficiency of Socially Rented Homes in England
Applies to England
Consultation description
This consultation seeks views on government’s proposal to set a minimum energy efficiency standard (MEES) for socially rented homes.
This consultation is an important step in ensuring that every tenant has a decent, warm and comfortable home. We are considering options to raise energy efficiency standards in the domestic social rented sector to make homes easier to heat, tackling fuel poverty and lowering carbon emissions.
Socially rented homes are not currently required to meet a minimum EPC standard and current requirements are roughly equivalent to an EPC ‘F’ rating. We propose setting the standard at EPC C or equivalent by 2030. This mirrors proposals to raise standards in the private rented sector, set out within a recently closed consultation Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes: 2025 update.
This MEES will be included in the revised Decent Homes Standard (DHS) as part of a Criterion D on thermal comfort, on which the government is also currently consulting: Consultation on a reformed Decent Homes Standard for social and privately rented homes.
The recently closed consultation on the future of Energy Performance Certificates provides an opportunity to ensure the standard in the social rented sector incentivise the appropriate measures for each home: Reforms to the Energy Performance of Buildings regime.
In this consultation, we are seeking stakeholder views on the approach to setting a minimum energy efficiency standard for the social rented sector. This consultation also includes a call for evidence, where we are seeking stakeholder views and plans to decarbonisation. We will consider responses when developing this standard and other future related policies.