Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment the Government has made of the potential merits of introducing minimum energy efficiency standards for owner-occupied homes.

In the Clean Growth Strategy, the Government set the aspiration for as many homes as possible to reach EPC Band C by 2035 where practical, cost-effective, and affordable. There are 15.6 million owner occupied households in England, of which 9 million have an EPC rating below Band C.

The Government committed in the Energy White Paper to seek primary powers to create a long-term regulatory framework to improve the energy performance of homes, alongside a package of incentives. The Government has consulted with a wide range of stakeholders and will undertake further consultation on specific policy design before secondary legislation.

Subsequently, in the Net Zero strategy, the government also committed to consulting on phasing in higher minimum performance standards to ensure all homes meet EPC Band C by 2035 where practical, cost effective and affordable.