News from 14 March 2026
Read the EPC guide for England and Wales.
The government’s Warm Homes announcements included support for home energy improvements and updated guidance for England’s locally delivered grant. Eligible privately rented homes can be included, subject to the scheme’s requirements.
What has happened
The government has been promoting its wider Warm Homes Plan, a long-term programme built around cutting bills, improving efficiency and supporting more home upgrades such as insulation, solar panels and low-carbon heating. Alongside that bigger national announcement, the Warm Homes: Local Grant guidance was updated on 12 March 2026 with further detail on eligibility, reporting and delivery.
The local grant scheme applies in England and is designed to support low-income households in homes with EPC ratings between D and G. The guidance says the scheme can apply to privately rented homes as well as owner-occupied properties, with delivery handled through local authorities rather than through a direct national landlord application route.
The broad political message is also worth noting. Ministers are framing warm, safe and affordable homes as a landlord responsibility where a property is rented out, and they have linked the policy to new protections for renters as well as help with upgrades. That does not mean every landlord will face an immediate change overnight, but it does point to a stronger policy push around energy performance and housing conditions.
