The UK areas with the most energy-efficient homes, and the places falling furthest behind
The cost of energy bills are still a major concern for many UK households, particularly with the proposed increase in the energy price cap, rising 13% from July 2026. That means knowing and understanding how efficient your property is has never been more important. Whether you're planning renovations, thinking about moving house, or simply looking for ways to reduce running costs, a home's Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating can offer valuable insight into how much energy it uses and how much it could be costing you.
But have you ever wondered how energy efficient the homes in your area are compared to the rest of the country?
Using the latest government EPC data, we've taken a closer look at homes across England and Wales to uncover which areas are leading the way when it comes to energy efficiency, and which locations still have some catching up to do. From modern city-centre apartments to older rural properties, the findings reveal some fascinating differences in how homes perform depending on where they're located.
So, which parts of the country are home to the most energy-efficient properties, and why are some areas falling behind? Let's take a look at the results.
Top 10 most energy-efficient areas in England and Wales (2025)
When it comes to energy-efficient living, some areas are clearly ahead of the curve. The highest-ranking locations tend to share a few things in common: newer housing developments, a higher proportion of flats and apartments, and properties built to meet modern energy standards. These homes are often better insulated, cheaper to heat, and designed with energy efficiency in mind from the outset. Unsurprisingly, major cities and growing urban centres feature heavily in the rankings, showing how modern housing stock can make a real difference to a home's EPC rating. Below, we've revealed the 10 areas with the highest proportion of A to C-rated homes in England and Wales
Top 10 least energy-efficient areas in England and Wales (2025)
While some parts of the country are benefiting from newer, more energy-efficient homes, others face a very different challenge. Many of the areas at the lower end of the rankings are rural or coastal locations, where older housing stock is far more common. From period cottages to large detached properties, these homes often lose heat more easily and can be more difficult and expensive to add modern upgrades. Factors such as outdated heating systems, limited access to mains gas, and exposure to harsher weather conditions can also impact a property's EPC rating. Below are the 10 areas with the lowest proportion of A to C-rated homes in England and Wales, highlighting where energy efficiency improvements may be needed most.
What the data tells us about home efficiency in England and Wales
Once we had worked out the best and worst performing areas in England and Wales for home efficiency, we explored the data further to find any potential trends and reasons behind the the EPC rating figures for 2025.
Why are some areas more efficient than others?
Urban areas tend to perform better due to the type and age of housing stock. Flats and apartments are naturally more energy efficient because shared walls reduce heat loss, while newer homes benefit from modern insulation standards, double glazing, and more efficient heating systems.
In contrast, rural and coastal areas often contain older detached homes that are more difficult and expensive to upgrade. These properties may rely on outdated heating systems or lack access to mains gas, increasing both energy use and heating costs.
London dominates the rankings
London boroughs make up a significant proportion of the UK’s most energy-efficient areas, with Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Southwark all ranking highly in the index. One of the biggest factors behind this is the type of home being built in these areas. Flats and apartments, which are far more common across London, naturally retain heat more effectively due to shared walls and lower levels of heat loss. In addition, the capital has seen extensive new-build development over the past decade, with newer homes built to stricter energy efficiency standards, including improved insulation, double glazing, and more efficient heating systems.
Rural and coastal areas continue to fall behind
At the other end of the rankings, rural and coastal areas such as North Norfolk, Gwynedd and Carmarthenshire recorded some of the lowest proportions of A–C rated homes. These areas often contain older housing stock, including detached and period properties that can be more difficult and expensive to upgrade. Many rural homes were built before modern insulation standards and may still rely on outdated heating systems or off-grid energy sources such as oil heating, which can negatively impact EPC ratings. The data suggests that homeowners in these areas face far greater challenges when it comes to improving energy efficiency.
Wales sees mixed performance across the rankings
Several Welsh local authorities appear within the least energy-efficient rankings, including Gwynedd, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Conwy. This is likely influenced by a combination of older rural housing stock, coastal exposure, and a higher proportion of detached properties. However, the findings also demonstrate how regional housing composition can vary significantly across England and Wales, with local housing age and infrastructure playing a major role in overall energy performance.
A potential urban vs rural divide is growing
The findings highlight a widening gap between urban and rural housing efficiency across England and Wales. Cities and major towns are increasingly benefiting from regeneration projects, apartment developments and modern infrastructure, while many rural communities are working with older properties that were never designed with energy efficiency in mind. This divide is contributing to significant regional differences in how prepared homes are for rising energy costs and future sustainability targets.
A-rated homes are still rare across England and Wales
One of the most surprising findings from the analysis is just how rare A-rated homes remain across England and Wales, even in many of the most energy-efficient areas.
While locations such as Tower Hamlets, Milton Keynes and Salford rank highly overall, the vast majority of their efficient homes still sit within EPC bands B and C, rather than the top A rating.
Tower Hamlets, which ranked as the UK’s most energy-efficient area overall, recorded just 12 A-rated homes out of 8,776 EPCs issued during 2025. Similarly, Hackney and Southwark, again both among the strongest-performing areas, also recorded only 10 A-rated homes each.
This highlights how difficult it can be for properties to achieve the highest EPC rating. Homes typically need a combination of high-performance insulation, modern glazing, low-energy heating systems, and renewable technologies such as solar panels or heat pumps to reach band A.
The findings suggest that while many areas are making progress towards more energy-efficient housing, the UK’s housing stock still has a long way to go before top-tier efficiency becomes the norm. Most homes currently considered “efficient” are still clustered within EPC bands B and C, rather than achieving the highest possible standard.
New-build hotspots are performing strongly
Areas with high levels of recent housing development consistently perform better in the rankings. Places such as Milton Keynes and Salford have seen substantial investment in modern housing stock, helping to drive higher proportions of efficient homes. New-build properties are typically constructed to meet far stricter building regulations than older homes, making them significantly more energy efficient from the outset.
What can I do to improve my EPC rating?
If your home's EPC rating isn't quite where you'd like it to be, there are plenty of ways to improve its energy efficiency. From quick wins that can be completed in a weekend to larger home improvement projects, making your property more energy efficient can help reduce energy bills, improve comfort, and potentially boost its value. Plumbworld’s Own Brand Product Category Manager Olivia Marshall gives her expert advice on the plumbing and heating upgrades you can undertake that will help to improve your home's EPC rating, plus the DIY upgrades that could help make a positive impact.
Upgrade Your Heating Controls
Heating controls are one of the simplest ways to improve the efficiency of your home's heating system. Thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) allow you to control the temperature of individual rooms, helping to avoid wasting energy in spaces that aren't being used. Smart heating controls can take this even further by allowing homeowners to create schedules, adjust temperatures remotely, and ensure heating is only used when needed.
Install a Smart Thermostat
A smart thermostat gives homeowners greater control over their energy usage by allowing heating schedules to be tailored around daily routines. Many systems can be managed through a smartphone app and automatically adjust temperatures to reduce unnecessary energy consumption. While it won't transform a poorly insulated property on its own, it can contribute positively as part of a wider energy efficiency strategy.
Replace Inefficient Radiators
Older radiators can become less effective over time due to corrosion, sludge build-up, and outdated designs. Modern radiators are often better at distributing heat evenly around a room and can work more efficiently alongside newer heating systems. Combined with improved heating controls, they can help reduce energy waste and improve overall comfort.
Consider Underfloor Heating
Underfloor heating is becoming an increasingly popular option for homeowners looking to improve efficiency and comfort. Because it distributes warmth evenly across a room and operates at lower temperatures than traditional radiators, it can help reduce energy consumption while maintaining a comfortable indoor temperature. Although underfloor heating installation can be more of a bigger job than other improvements, it may contribute positively to a property's energy performance over the long term.
Upgrade an Older Boiler
If your boiler is more than 10 to 15 years old, replacing it with a modern, high-efficiency model could significantly improve your home's energy performance. Modern condensing boilers use less fuel to produce the same amount of heat, helping to reduce running costs while improving the efficiency of your heating system. Because heating performance plays an important role in EPC assessments, a boiler upgrade can often have a noticeable impact.
Explore Renewable Energy Solutions
For homeowners planning longer-term improvements, renewable technologies such as solar panels and heat pumps can make a significant difference to a property's EPC rating. Solar panels help generate electricity from renewable sources, while heat pumps provide an efficient alternative to traditional heating systems. Although these upgrades often require a larger upfront investment, they can improve a home's energy performance and reduce energy costs over time.
Improving your EPC rating doesn't necessarily mean undertaking a major renovation all at once. Even smaller upgrades can contribute towards a more energy-efficient home, and combining several improvements often delivers the greatest benefits. Whether you're looking to lower your energy bills, improve comfort, or future-proof your property, investing in energy efficiency can pay dividends in the long run.
Improve Loft and Roof Insulation
A significant amount of heat can escape through an uninsulated roof, making loft insulation one of the most effective energy efficiency upgrades available. By helping to keep warm air inside during the winter and reducing heat loss, improved insulation can lower energy consumption and contribute to a higher EPC rating.
Upgrade Older Windows and Doors
If your property still has older windows or poorly insulated external doors, upgrading them can help reduce heat loss and improve thermal efficiency. Double and triple glazing can help retain heat more effectively, while modern doors can reduce draughts and improve comfort throughout the home.
Methodology
Plumbworld analysed the latest full-year government EPC dataset for England and Wales, covering domestic properties that received an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) during 2025.
The dataset includes quarterly EPC records for every local authority, showing how homes were distributed across energy efficiency bands A to G.
To create the index, the Plumbworld team combined all 2025 EPC records by local authority.
The analysis focused specifically on homes rated A, B and C - widely recognised as the most energy-efficient EPC bands.
For each local authority, we calculated:
- Total A–C rated homes ÷ Total EPC-rated homes × 100
This created a percentage score representing the share of energy-efficient homes within each area.
Local authorities were then ranked from highest to lowest based on this percentage score.
Areas with the highest proportion of A–C rated homes formed the Top 10 most energy-efficient areas.Areas with the lowest proportion formed the Top 10 least energy-efficient areas.