Correspondence

The Future Homes and Buildings Standards: Building Circular 01/2026 - letter

Published 24 March 2026

Applies to England

To: The Chief Executive:
Unitary, Metropolitan, District and London Borough Councils in England
The Town Clerk, City of London
The Clerk, Council of the Isles of Scilly
The Sub-Treasurer, Inner Temple
The Under Treasurer, Middle Temple

The Head of Building Control:
Unitary, Metropolitan, District and London Borough Councils in England
City of London
Council of the Isles of Scilly
Registered Building Control Approvers
Deputy Director Operations (Building Control), The Building Safety Regulator

cc: The Chief Executive:
Combined Authorities and County Councils in England
National Park Authorities in England
Chair, National Fire Chiefs Council
Deputy Director Technical Policy Division, The Building Safety Regulator

Date: 24 March 2026

Dear Sir or Madam,

The Building Regulations etc. (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2026

I am writing to inform you of The Building Regulations etc. (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2026 (the Regulations) and the publication of new statutory guidance in:

• Approved Document L (Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions) Volume 1: Dwellings
• Approved Document L (Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions) Volume 2: Buildings other than Dwellings
• Approved Document F (Ventilation) Volume 1: Dwellings.

Scope of this Circular Letter

The guidance in this Circular Letter applies to buildings and building work in England.

Publications

The Regulations and accompanying Explanatory Memorandum will be available at www.legislation.gov.uk.

MHCLG Circular 01/2026, which describes the amendments more fully is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-future-homes-and-buildings-standards-building-circular-0326

The content of the Regulations was subject to consultation and the government response to the consultation is available at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/the-future-homes-and-buildings-standards-2023-consultation

Coming into force date

The Regulations come into force on 24 March 2027, except that regulations 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9 come into force for higher-risk building work and work to existing HRBs on 24 September 2027, subject to transitional provisions.

Summary of main changes

The Regulations make amendments to the Building Regulations 2010 (the 2010 Regulations) to implement the Future Homes and Buildings Standards. The Future Homes and Buildings Standards will ensure that new homes and non-domestic buildings are built with low carbon heating and high levels of energy efficiency, so that buildings constructed to these standards will not require retrofitting to become zero carbon in use as the electricity grid decarbonises.

The Regulations amend the 2010 Regulations 2010 to:

• Create a new functional requirement (L3) for the provision of a system of on-site renewable electricity generation for new dwellings and buildings containing dwellings.
• Amend Part L of Schedule 1 to reflect the dual aims of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving energy.
• Amend the definition of “fixed building services” so that it includes lifts, escalators and moving footways in new buildings other than in individual dwellings.
• Introduce regulation 40C to require provision of information to homeowners of new dwellings in an appropriate format.

The Regulations also make an associated amendment to Building (Registered Building Control Approvers etc.) (England) Regulations 2024 (the 2024 Regulations) so that registered building control approvers have functions in relation to new regulation 40C.

The Regulations also revoke earlier transitional arrangements made in 2013 and related arrangements made in 2021, which enabled construction to 2010 energy efficiency standards – in each case subject to some exceptions.

Revised Approved Documents

There is updated statutory guidance in Approved Document L (Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emissions) Volumes 1 (Dwellings) and 2 (Buildings other than Dwellings) and Approved Document F (Ventilation) Volume 1 (Dwellings) to support compliance with the Regulations. This includes new or updated guidance on:

• Routes for dwellings or buildings other than dwellings (including mixed-use buildings) connected to a new or existing heat network to demonstrate compliance.
• Limiting heat loss from low carbon heating systems.
• Minimum building services efficiencies and controls, heat pump controls, fixing operational and maintenance information to heat pumps, and insulation for building heat distribution systems.
• The commissioning and installation of fixed building services, including clarifying the importance of following manufacturers’ instructions for heat pump installations, on-site electricity storage systems, and highlighting the role of competent persons schemes when installing a heat pump or mechanical ventilation.
• Routes for certifying fixed building services installations and setting out available enforcement options where work does not meet the required standards.
• The new functional requirement (L3) in relation to the installation of a system for onsite renewable electricity when a dwelling or building containing a dwelling is erected.
• The Home User Guide, including guidance to help ensure Home User Guides are provided to material change of use dwelling owners.

The transitional arrangements for this guidance are the same as those applied to the new legislation.

Transitional Arrangements

The Regulations come into force on the 24 March 2027, except that regulations 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 and 9 come into force for higher-risk building (HRB) work and work to an existing HRB (as both terms are defined) on 24 September 2027.

For non-HRB work (or work to an existing HRB),  the changes made to the 2010 and 2024 Regulations will not apply to work on a building where a building notice, an initial notice, or an application for building control approval with full plans has been given to the relevant authority in respect of that building before 24 March 2027, provided that the building work to which the notice or application relates is commenced (as defined) on the relevant building before 24 March 2028.

The changes to the 2010 and 2024 Regulations come into force on 24 September 2027 for HRB work (including a stage of HRB work) or work to an existing HRB and separate commencement and transitional arrangements apply in these circumstances. The Regulations do not apply to HRB work or work to an existing HRB where a valid building control approval application has been submitted to the regulator before 24 September 2027, and the application has not been rejected before, on or after that date. Where transitional protection begins because of the submission of an application for building control approval for a stage of HRB work, then the protection will continue to apply to subsequent stages of HRB work, provided that the original application has not been rejected or lapsed.

Additional transitional arrangements provide that where some previous transitional arrangements continue to apply, the changes made by the 2010 and 2024 Regulations (as relevant) will not apply (e.g. some transitional arrangements made in relation to the Part L Uplift, in 2021 (see the Building Regulations (Building Regulations etc (Amendment) Regulations 2021) or in relation to the introduction of the HRB regime.

Defined terms

Please note that “application for building control approval with full plans”, “building notice”, “initial notice” and “relevant authority” have the meanings given in regulation 2(1)(b) of the 2010 Regulations.  Please refer to the Regulations for other defined terms.

Enquiries

Telephone enquiries on this Circular Letter should be addressed to the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government on 0303 444 0000. All email enquiries should be addressed to ecopolicy@communities.gov.uk.

Yours faithfully

Keeran Jugdoyal
Deputy Director, New Build Standards and Performance
Buildings, Design and Construction Directorate
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government