How to improve an EPC rating
Start with the recommendations on your current EPC, then check which measures are suitable for your home with an assessor or qualified installer. There is no universal upgrade, fixed points gain or guaranteed route to a higher band.
By EPC Benchmark · Last reviewed
Start with the certificate
Find the current EPC, check which recommendations relate to the home as it is now, and note work completed since the assessment. For an England or Wales property, GOV.UK’s Find ways to save energy in your home service provides recommendations, estimated installation costs, bill savings and next steps. Any address entry stays on that government service; EPC Benchmark has no address input.
If the current score sits in band C, D or E, the band guides explain what that range means: EPC rating C, EPC rating D and EPC rating E.
Choose a suitable next step
| Situation | Useful next question |
|---|---|
| Insulation or draught-proofing is recommended | What needs checking for damp, building suitability and ventilation before work? |
| Heating or hot-water improvements are recommended | Which system and controls suit this home, and how would the package affect running costs and the assessed score? |
| Several measures are suggested | Which should be planned together, what dependencies exist, and what does an installer quote actually include? |
These are decision questions, not prescriptions or a universal priority order. LEDs, insulation, heating controls and solar PV are possible measures only where suitable for the home.
Keep the rating and household bills separate
EPC ratings use modelled standard assumptions. Actual household energy use, tariffs and installation costs differ. Comfort, carbon and the EPC rating may therefore point to different choices. A heat pump, boiler or solar installation does not always improve a rating. Ask an assessor to explain likely effects instead of adding generic points or savings.
A simple planning example
A fictional homeowner sees loft insulation and heating controls suggested on their EPC. They note the insulation and controls already present, ask about suitability and ventilation, obtain a clear scope and quotes, then choose a coordinated plan. The example gives no property statistics, before-and-after score, cash saving or forecast.
After the work
Ask an accredited assessor what evidence is needed if you want a new assessment. GOV.UK explains how to get a new energy certificate; a new certificate requires an assessment, but this guide does not say every completed improvement requires replacement. EPC Benchmark provides four separate aggregate comparison views. They are context for a current score, not a prediction of an individual upgrade’s impact.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Find ways to save energy in your home — England and Wales service for recommendations, estimated installation costs, bill savings and next steps.
- GOV.UK: Get a new energy certificate — How to arrange an assessment with an accredited assessor.
- Energy Saving Trust: Tips to improve the EPC rating of your home — Background on property suitability, standard modelling, ventilation and different improvement aims.
Related guides
- Annotated sample EPC — See where recommendations appear on a fictional certificate.
- EPC bands explained — Understand the score ranges behind bands A to G.
- Methodology — See how EPC Benchmark produces aggregate comparisons.
Compare your current EPC score
Use four separate aggregate views as context for the current score, not as a forecast of an improvement.
Compare your current EPC score