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EPC Benchmark

Independent EPC analysis

Band guide

EPC rating E explained: scores 39 to 54

A domestic EPC rating E means the modelled energy efficiency score falls between 39 and 54 on the 1–100 scale. In this analysed release band E covers 10.9% of current properties in England and Wales. What places an individual home in this band is the set of elements recorded on its own certificate.

Band E range:E39toE54

National context for band E

Band E share
10.9% of current properties
Current properties
19,324,312
Certificate-history rows
27,654,564
Source snapshot ends
31 July 2026
Release generated
23 August 2026

This share is a national aggregate of current properties across England and Wales. It describes the stock as a whole in this release and is not a verdict on any individual home. A particular property may sit at either end of the band for very different reasons.

What an E does and does not mean

What it does mean

  • A modelled score between 39 and 54, produced from the recorded fabric, heating and glazing under standard occupancy assumptions.
  • A description of the building as assessed on the certificate date, which may predate later improvements.
  • A signal that recorded elements are limiting the modelled score, and an indication of where to look on the certificate.

What it does not mean

  • It is not a statement that the home is unsafe, poorly maintained or unlawful to occupy or let.
  • It is not a measurement of actual bills, which depend on occupancy, temperatures and energy prices.
  • It is not a diagnosis: only the certificate for the individual property shows which elements were scored poorly.

The score ranges for every letter are set out on our A–G EPC band scale explainer.

Recorded fabric and heating context to investigate

Band E rarely comes from a single element. It usually reflects a combination of recorded construction, insulation and heating characteristics. These are areas to look up on the certificate for the specific property, not conclusions about it.

  • Wall construction

    Check how the walls and any insulation are recorded on the certificate. Uninsulated solid or hard-to-treat walls reduce the modelled score, and suitable treatment depends on the wall build-up, exposure and moisture risk.

  • Roof and floor insulation

    Little or no recorded loft insulation, a room-in-roof, or an uninsulated suspended floor all reduce the modelled score.

  • Heating and hot water

    Check the recorded system and controls. Older boilers, electric room heaters or limited controls reduce the modelled score, and fuel type also affects how the model scores the same amount of heat.

  • Glazing and air leakage

    Check how glazing and draught-proofing are recorded; these interact with the items above rather than being read on their own.

  • Heritage and ventilation constraints

    Older and protected buildings interact with moisture, ventilation and conservation considerations, so measures that raise a score in a modern home may be unsuitable here.

EPC Benchmark does not prescribe works, does not present any measure as guaranteed to raise a score, and does not attach an expected point gain to an individual measure.

A published example: House, built Before 1900

Older housing is often assumed to be band E. This published national type-and-age group shows why that assumption does not hold.

Current properties in the group
1,158,137
Median current score
56 (band D)
Share of the group in band E
31.0%
Share of the group in band D
43.8%

Fewer than a third of this pre-1900 house group are band E and a larger share are band D, so construction age does not decide a band on its own. An E score needs the certificate's recorded elements and a comparable group before it means anything.

Percentages are shares of the 1,158,137 current properties in this national type-and-age group. The group contains properties in every band, so age does not fix a band, and this is not a diagnosis of any individual home. Every figure on this site comes from the published aggregate files in this release: national totals from national.json, district views from the matching postcode-district file, and national type-and-age groups from archetypes.json. Each page draws only on the files relevant to the figures it shows.

Using the certificate and the four comparison lenses

The official certificate for the property is published on the GOV.UK Find an energy certificate service and is the only place that shows the recorded elements and ordered recommendations for that building. EPC Benchmark adds aggregate context through four lenses, each reported separately:

  1. 1. All homes in the chosen postcode district.
  2. 2. The same property type within that district.
  3. 3. The same construction age band within that district.
  4. 4. The same property type and construction age band nationally.

These are four independent views, not a single jointly matched cohort. See the methodology page for how each lens is built and the data sources page for the official inputs and licensing.

Compare a band E score with similar homes

What to check next, in a sensible order

  1. 1

    Retrieve the official certificate

    Get the property's certificate from the government register and read which elements were rated very poor, poor or average. That tells you what produced the E.

  2. 2

    Check the recorded data for accuracy

    Compare what is recorded against the building as it stands. Wall type, insulation and heating are fields worth checking closely, because they can be out of date or recorded conservatively where evidence was unavailable at the assessment.

  3. 3

    Read the property's ordered recommendations

    Certificates list recommended measures in a sequence for that specific building, where later items assume earlier ones are done. Treat it as a sequence, not a menu.

  4. 4

    Put the score in aggregate context

    Compare with homes of similar type and construction age rather than with newer stock, using the four independent lenses below.

  5. 5

    Check current official rules where they matter

    If the home is let, or is about to be sold or let, read the current government guidance at source rather than relying on any third-party summary.

  6. 6

    Get qualified advice before work

    A retrofit assessor, chartered surveyor or suitably qualified installer can advise on suitability, sequencing and moisture risk for the specific building.

This is an informational sequence, not a prescription or a guarantee of any outcome.

Start by finding your EPC certificate, then read about EPC accuracy when checking the recorded information and improving an EPC rating when reviewing the recommendations.

Requirements can change, so check them at source

Rules affecting minimum energy performance for privately rented homes, and the exemptions around them, have changed over time and may change again. EPC Benchmark does not state what the current requirements are, does not suggest that any letting is unlawful, and does not give legal advice. Read the current government landlord guidance or take professional advice for the position that applies to a specific property and tenure.

Limitations and data note

  • An EPC score is modelled under standard assumptions, not metered, so recorded inputs rather than real performance can explain part of a low score.
  • “Current” means the latest certificate recorded for each valid UPRN in this analysed release. A property that has been reassessed appears once, using its most recent certificate.
  • This aggregate release does not combine postcode district, property type and construction age in one published cell. The four views below are shown separately and must not be read as a single jointly matched cohort. The national property type and construction age archetype is the closest combined attribute view; the district views add geographic context.
  • Groups smaller than 5 properties are not published, so some views are unavailable for smaller districts.
  • This is not live data and it does not update automatically. The source snapshot ends 31 July 2026 and this release was generated on 23 August 2026.
  • No cost estimates are shown, because this release does not contain validated current costs.
  • No address, full postcode, UPRN or certificate identifier is requested, stored or displayed.

Frequently asked questions

What score is an EPC rating E?

Band E covers energy efficiency scores from 39 to 54 on the 1–100 domestic EPC scale. A home at 54 is one point below band D, while a home at 39 sits just above band F, so the score matters more than the letter.

How common is an EPC rating E?

In this analysed release, band E accounts for 10.9% of the 19,324,312 current properties in England and Wales. It is a minority of the stock but far from rare. Whether a particular home sits here depends on the elements recorded on its own certificate, not on its age alone.

What usually causes a band E rating?

A score reflects the whole set of recorded elements together: wall construction and insulation, roof and floor insulation, the heating and hot-water system and its controls, and glazing. Which of these applies to a particular home is set out on its own certificate, and we do not infer a cause from the letter.

Does a band E mean a home cannot be rented out?

We do not state a legal position or imply that any letting is unlawful. Minimum energy efficiency rules for privately rented homes in England and Wales have changed over time and include exemptions and registration steps, so check the current government landlord guidance for the rules that apply to a specific property and tenure.

Could a band E rating be wrong or out of date?

It can be out of date. A certificate reflects what the assessor recorded on the assessment date. If insulation, glazing or heating has been changed since, the published rating describes an earlier state of the building and a new assessment would be needed to reflect the work.

What should I do first with a band E home?

Read the property's own certificate and its ordered recommendation list, confirm the recorded elements are accurate, then take advice from a qualified professional before committing to work. We do not prescribe measures or state expected point gains.

Sources

Official sources used on this page. Guidance changes, so check the current version for the position that applies today.

Underlying data: EPC Register (MHCLG), ONS National Statistics UPRN Lookup. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.