# How to improve an EPC rating to band C

> Raising an EPC rating measure by measure: what your certificate lists, the order that matters, grants such as the £7,500 heat pump grant, and consent traps.

- Canonical URL: https://epccalculator.com/how-to-improve-an-epc-rating/
- Source: [GOV.UK, Find an energy certificate](https://find-energy-certificate.service.gov.uk/)
- Checked: 2026-10-26
- Structured data: https://epccalculator.com/data/how-to-improve-an-epc-rating.json

This page includes a free interactive tool that runs in the browser and sends no data. The figures and rules it uses are the ones stated on this page, with their sources.

The quickest way to a better rating is not a list of popular upgrades; it is the list printed on your own certificate. Every EPC carries recommended measures in a fixed order, each with an indicative cost, a typical yearly saving and the rating the home would reach after that step. Look yours up free on [Find an energy certificate](https://find-energy-certificate.service.gov.uk/), then copy those lines into the calculator above.

## Why the order on the certificate matters

The assessor's software models each recommendation on top of the ones listed before it. So if the second measure is cavity wall insulation, its points assume the loft has already been done. Skip the first step and the second may be worth less than printed. The calculator treats the points you type as the certificate's sequence and searches every combination, but only a post-works EPC tells you the real result.

## Measure by measure: what to check before you book

| Type of measure | What to check first | Where help can come from |
|---|---|---|
| Loft or roof insulation | Access, damp, stored items, ventilation at the eaves | Energy supplier schemes (ECO) if you qualify |
| Cavity wall insulation | Whether walls have a cavity at all; exposure to driving rain | ECO, council schemes |
| Solid wall insulation (internal or external) | Planning rules for external cladding, loss of room space for internal | Often the most expensive line; see the planned exemption |
| Floor insulation | Suspended timber floor or solid concrete | Usually self-funded |
| Heating controls and cylinder insulation | Cheap and quick, small gains | Self-funded |
| Heat pump | Replacing fossil-fuel heating; space for the outdoor unit | Boiler Upgrade Scheme |
| Solar panels | Roof orientation, shading, conservation area | Self-funded or supplier schemes |
| Low-energy lighting | Usually already done in recent certificates | Self-funded |

## The grants with fixed amounts

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme pays a one-off grant towards replacing fossil-fuel heating in England and Wales: **£7,500** for an air source or ground source heat pump, **£5,000** for a biomass boiler (rural, off-grid homes only) and **£2,500** for an air-to-air heat pump. Until March 2027 there is an extra **£1,500** for air or ground source heat pumps in homes heated by oil or LPG with no mains gas ([GOV.UK, what you can get](https://www.gov.uk/apply-boiler-upgrade-scheme/what-you-can-get)). Owners can apply, including landlords for homes they let; social housing cannot, and the installer must commission the system within 120 days ([GOV.UK, eligibility](https://www.gov.uk/apply-boiler-upgrade-scheme/check-if-youre-eligible)).

**For landlords:** under the planned 2030 rules, Boiler Upgrade Scheme money does **not** count towards the £10,000 cap, while Warm Homes: Local Grant and ECO4 funding does ([GOV.UK response](https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/improving-the-energy-performance-of-privately-rented-homes-2025-update/outcome/improving-the-energy-performance-of-privately-rented-homes-government-response-html)). Those rules are confirmed government policy, not yet law.

## Fabric before heating, if you let the home

The government response sets a fabric performance standard as the first test for rentals, then lets the landlord choose between a heating system standard and a smart readiness standard. In practice, insulation and draught-proofing are the first step for landlords aiming at 2030; a heat pump on its own may not satisfy the fabric test.

## A worked example

The figures below are an example of what a certificate might list, not typical national values. At 58 points the lines are: loft insulation £400, +4 points; cavity wall insulation £1,500, +6; low-energy lighting £60, +1; solar panels £5,500, +8. The cheapest set reaching 69 is the first three, for £1,960. Adding the panels instead of the cavity wall work also reaches 69 but costs £5,960, three times as much.

## Three things that can block the work

1. **Consent.** A tenant, freeholder, mortgage lender or planning authority may refuse. For landlords that refusal can support a registered [exemption](https://epccalculator.com/epc-exemptions-and-the-cost-cap/).
2. **Listed or protected buildings.** External wall insulation and solar panels can need permission.
3. **Damp risk.** Insulation in the wrong place can trap moisture; ask the installer how they handle ventilation.

When the works are done, order a new EPC. The rating only changes on the register when a new certificate is lodged.

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