Making Social Homes Warmer, Greener and Fairer
Monday 7th of July 2025
What’s This All About?
The UK Government wants all social rented homes in England to be warmer, more energy efficient, and cheaper to heat—to help tackle climate change, reduce fuel poverty, and improve health.
To do this, it’s proposing new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) for homes owned by councils and housing associations.
Now they want your opinion.
What Is MEES?
MEES = Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards
These are legal minimum rules for how energy-efficient a home must be.
The government is proposing that all social rented homes must reach at least Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band C by 2030.
What’s an EPC?
EPC = Energy Performance Certificate
Every home gets an EPC rating from A to G, with:
- A = very energy efficient
- G = very poor energy efficiency
Currently, many social homes are rated D or lower, meaning they lose heat quickly and are expensive to keep warm.
What’s Being Proposed?
The government wants to:
- Set EPC C as the minimum for all social homes by 2030.
- Make this part of the Decent Homes Standard – the basic rules that define what a safe, good-quality home should be.
- Set a cost cap of £10,000 per home – landlords won’t be forced to spend more than this to reach the target.
- Allow extra time (until 2040) for homes that are too expensive or complex to upgrade in time.
- Use smarter ways to measure energy efficiency, not just EPCs – including insulation quality and heating systems.
What’s the Consultation Asking?
The government is asking for your views on things like:
- How to measure energy efficiency? Should EPCs be the only way, or should we include insulation, heating, and smart tech?
- When should changes happen? Should 2030 be the deadline? What about harder-to-upgrade homes?
- What about costs? Is £10,000 the right spending limit per home? Should there be exemptions?
- What comes after 2030? What’s the long-term plan for zero-carbon homes in the social housing sector?
Key Dates
- Consultation opened: 2nd July 2025
- Closes: 10th September 2025 at 11:45pm
- You can respond as a tenant, landlord, housing professional or group.
Where to Respond
Online Consultation Portal:
PDF versions also available if you prefer email or post.
Why This Matters
- 1 in 10 social homes are still cold, damp, or hard to heat.
- Many tenants are paying high bills just to stay warm.
- Housing makes up around 14% of UK carbon emissions.
- Cold homes affect children’s health, education and wellbeing.
This consultation is your chance to help shape national policy and make sure:
- Improvements are fair and affordable
- Tenants have a say in decisions
- Landlords are held accountable
What You Can Do
- Take the survey: Answer the consultation online or with help from your landlord or a tenant support group.
- Join in discussions: Your local housing provider or tenant panel may be responding together.
- Spread the word: Encourage others in your community to respond – especially those affected by poor insulation or high energy bills.
Final Word
This isn’t just about numbers or certificates. It’s about making real homes healthier, greener, and cheaper to live in – with tenants involved every step of the way.
Your voice can shape how fast, how fairly, and how successfully we get there.
✅ Respond by 10th September 2025
Help build the future of social housing, one warm home at a time.
Tpas have been working hard to lobby for a positive change and we will continue to do so with these new proposals. To that extent we have put together a number of events free to our members where we can brief you on what these proposals mean and gather your opinions.
Join us on Tuesday 22nd July 2025, 10:00am - 12:00pm for this session.
Your Voice Matters: Policy Consultation - Spending Review