E in numbers

Point	Band E
Score range	39 to 54 points
Points to D	Up to 16
Points to C	15 to 30
Share of homes in England at E, F or G, 2024	9% (EHS 2024-25)
Average cost to reach C from E	£12,430 (same source)

The floor for letting

Since 1 April 2020, landlords may not let, or continue to let, a property covered by the minimum standard if its EPC is below E, unless a valid exemption is registered (GOV.UK). E is therefore the lowest band you can let without an exemption, and an E home is legal to let today.

It is also the band with the least margin. A new assessment that moves a 39 down to a 38 turns a legal let into an F, which needs work or an exemption before the next tenancy, or straight away for a home already let.

What changes for E homes after 2030

For lettings, band C by 1 October 2030 is confirmed government policy, not yet law. The government response of 21 January 2026 sets a £10,000 cost cap per property and a ten-year exemption once the cap is spent; regulations are expected to follow, with the aim of coming into force in 2027 (GOV.UK response). With an average cost to C of £12,430 from E, many E homes would hit that cap before reaching C. That makes keeping receipts for every measure important.

What an E means for an owner-occupier

No law makes an owner improve an E. The cost is in the bills: the survey models bands D to G at higher average energy costs than A to C, rising to £2,662 a year for G (EHS 2022-23). For E itself the survey does not publish a separate figure, so we do not invent one.

Where to start

Look your certificate up on the register. Note the score and the recommendations.
For a quick legal margin, find the measures that lift you a few points for the least money.
For the long view, enter all the measures in the calculator above to see the cheapest set that reaches 69.
An E home needs no exemption today. If the home is F or G, see EPC F and G and exemptions.

Fines that apply around band E

Letting a covered home below E without an exemption can cost a landlord up to £2,000 if it lasts under three months, up to £4,000 if it lasts three months or more, and up to £5,000 per property in total, plus publication of the breach (GOV.UK).