As the Government prepares to release the full details of the Future Homes Standard, it has marshalled a host of industry leaders to respond to the new measures.
Charlotte Lee, Chief Executive, HPA UK, said:
We are delighted to get confirmation that following a transition period, all new homes and buildings will benefit from low carbon heating such as heat pumps and heat networks. Coupled with solar PV, heat pumps and connections to heat networks provide a future proofed solution which will strengthen the UK’s energy security. Whilst the sector has been scaling up, with over a quarter of new homes built in the UK in 2025 having a heat pump, this clarity will unlock further investment into the supply chain, supporting thousands of highly skilled jobs, and contribute to the UK’s wider economic growth.
Greg Jackson, Founder and CEO of Octopus Energy, said:
People want to be free of these fossil fuel crises – since the conflict in the Middle East began, interest in solar has shot up 50%, heat pump and electric cars are also seeing surges. Every solar panel, heat pump and battery cuts bills and boosts Britain’s energy independence. And the government’s latest steps can help cut the costs of electrification. With solar, many homes can produce and use their own electricity, and cut their bills further by selling the excess back to us. With heat pumps and electric cars, their own electricity can slash heating and driving bills – stuff you simply can’t do with gas and petrol.
Mohamed Gaafar, CEO and Co-Founder of Gryd Energy was among the first to sound a note of caution:
This is a landmark moment that will redefine the role of homes in the UK’s energy system. Solar on the vast majority of new homes is a no-brainer – it will give households real control over their bills and reduce their exposure to volatile global energy markets, something recent events have made impossible to ignore. But the real measure of success will be how developers respond: whether systems are sized to meet a home’s true energy demand, not just to satisfy minimum compliance. If the Future Homes Standard is treated as a ceiling rather than a floor, households will miss out on much of the economic benefit – and the government’s ambition for these homes to never need retrofitting may not be realised.
He added that it is a missed opportunity not to mandate battery storage in the Standard:
Costs have fallen dramatically in recent years – the technology is now affordable, proven, and essential to unlocking the full value of rooftop solar. Even so, the Future Homes Standard should significantly accelerate the UK’s shift towards a more decentralised, resilient energy system. The industry must now step up and deliver.”
Dr Tom Dollard, Chair, Good Homes Alliance said:
The Good Homes Alliance welcomes the launch of the Future Homes and Building Standard as a positive step towards net zero and low energy homes. This is a clear improvement for Part L of the building regulations that set targets to ensure all new homes and buildings are built fit for a net zero future, with low carbon heating and solar panels. Our industry-leading membership will continue delivering these homes that are more comfortable and cheaper to run. We welcome the proposed used of HEM as a replacement for SAP after a period of dual running and look forward to working with industry to ensure these new low energy homes are delivered as comfortable, healthy homes. We are confident that these standards, especially if used in combination with enhanced ventilation commissioning and low-cost, post-completion testing, such as short duration whole-house heat loss tests, will ensure delivery of both high-quality, energy-efficient homes and the housing supply needed to meet demand.
Luke Osborne, Technical Director of Electrical Safety First warned of the importance of having correct standards in place for the plug-in solar technology, emphasising that ‘safety must come first.’ He said:
Recent investigations conducted by the charity have highlighted that, at present, plug-in solar systems supply power to household circuits in a way currently not permitted by regulations. Whilst the risk remains low, without wiring regulation changes and under certain conditions, plug-in solar PV systems connected to standard household sockets, can cause overheating or impair the operation of protective devices such as RCDs in a property. We are pleased to see the Government intends to address these issues and we believe new safety standards should be introduced rapidly, to ensure households can safely enjoy the benefits of plug in solar. We look forward to working with the Government to address these issues in detail. With the introduction of any new technology comes the risk of substandard versions making their way onto the market through unscrupulous sellers, and we continue to call for online marketplaces to be better regulated, to prevent unsafe products being available to households now and in the future.”
Dhara Vyas, Chief Executive of Energy UK, said:
The Future Homes Standard is a landmark moment for clean energy in Britain. New homes built under this standard will benefit from clean heating solutions and solar, protecting households from volatile gas prices and putting energy security within the home itself. Combined with higher fabric efficiency standards, these homes will be warmer and cheaper to run – offering real and tangible change in people’s homes. Critically, plans for rooftop solar, with the possibility for households to export excess energy back to the grid mark a genuine shift in how people can engage with the energy transition, easily allowing them to save money from an increasingly flexible energy system. The Future Homes Standard gives businesses the long-term certainty they need to invest in manufacturing; to scale up supply chains; and to build the skilled workforce that will make the targets set in the Warm Homes Plan a reality.
Chris Norbury, Chief Executive of E.ON UK said:
Cutting red tape on plug-in solar is an encouraging move and we will help ensure it works alongside, or as part of, whole-home solutions that genuinely empower people to take control of their energy use and cut bills. At E.ON Next, we’re already seeing how powerful that shift can be. Whether it’s giving customers more control through innovative time of use tariffs or helping people get income from generating and storing energy at home via steerable assets, the direction is clear: simplicity, transparency and providing real financial rewards for doing the right thing.
Chris O’Shea, CEO, Centrica, said:
As the UK’s biggest installer of low‑carbon heating, we welcome today’s announcements, including the Future Homes Standard. It’s a chance to ensure new homes come ready for the full benefits of modern energy systems — where low‑carbon heating, solar and smart technology are designed to work together from the start and reduce energy consumption.
Friends of the Earth Head of Policy, Mike Childs, said:
For too long households across the UK have been hit by soaring energy bills driven by our dependence on volatile gas and oil markets. Making it easier to install plug-in solar panels and ensuring new homes come with heat pumps and solar power is a welcome step that will help protect families from future price shocks. But we must go further to end our reliance on fossil fuels, strengthen energy security and cut the carbon pollution driving the climate crisis. That means rapidly expanding the UK’s huge renewable energy potential and helping more people switch to electric heating and vehicles.
Chris Hewett, Chief Executive, Solar Energy UK, said:
Expanding solar energy and battery storage is a rapid and inexpensive solution to the looming energy crisis – for cutting bills, for the economy and for our nation’s energy security. From the largest installations to the smallest domestic systems, every battery and panel counts towards weaning us off reliance on imported and polluting fossil fuels. That’s why ensuring that new homes and other buildings are built with solar and boosting retrofits is so vital, and so welcome.
Dave Sowden, Chief Executive, Sustainable Energy Association, said:
Today’s news will mean that the UK’s future building stock will provide residents with warm, comfortable, efficient, and cost-effective homes for decades to come. Additionally, it is encouraging to see the government recognise exciting low carbon innovations such as plug-in solar. The technology will be welcomed by consumers and businesses as we navigate the uncertain long-term impact on fuel bills due to a range of geopolitical factors.
Josh Buckland, Strategy & Policy Director, EDF, said:
Electrification is fundamental to futureproofing the country with homegrown electricity putting Britain back in charge of its destiny and helping keeping bills low for all in the long term. This is why we welcome the government’s Future Homes Standard and the decision that all new homes will have clean heating as standard. We are also pleased to see the focus on unlocking further investment in solar, offering customers a practical way to reduce both their bills and their impact on the environment.
Madeleine Gabriel, Mission Director: Sustainable Future at Nesta, said:
Many households are understandably concerned about paying for rising energy costs in the future because of the volatility of fossil fuel prices. With the government now making it even easier to switch to electricity to heat and power your home, there has never been a better time for people to consider installing solar panels, storage batteries and heat pumps. These home upgrades could save a typical household hundreds of pounds on its annual energy bill under current and projected energy prices and allow households to have some relief from the fossil fuel rollercoaster. Ensuring new homes have heat pumps from 2028 will also lock in that protection for future buyers.
Garry Felgate, CEO of The MCS Foundation, said:
The confirmation that the majority of all new homes in England will have solar panels and low carbon heating systems such as heat pumps is very good news – for energy security, for the UK’s progress toward a carbon-free future, and for the countless households that will benefit as a result. What matters now is implementation, and ensuring households have confidence in the technologies their new home will come with. So, it’s vital that housebuilders consider quality and consumer protection, by ensuring every installation is delivered by an MCS certified installer, to MCS standards.
Ed Lockhart, Chief Executive of the Future Homes Hub, said:
The publication of the Future Homes Standard isn’t just about a change in regulation – it’s a promise to consumers that new homes will be more comfortable, more efficient, and more secure against the volatility of unstable fossil fuel markets. Today’s announcement sets the timeline for all new homes to meet these higher standards from 2028. The Future Homes Hub is facilitating partnership across the whole housing ecosystem including sharing solutions between homebuilders, housing associations and developers of all sizes to ensure residents feel the full benefits, starting with the Future Homes Standard Ready campaign.
Lorna Wallace-Smith, Head of UK Communications for EcoFlow, said:
Allowing plug-and-play solar is a very positive step for expanding access to renewable energy in the UK. Seeing these systems available in stores by summer would be a major win for households, enabling people to take advantage of the longer, brighter days and start generating their own clean electricity straight away. For many households – particularly those living in flats or rented homes – solar has not always been straightforward. Plug-and-play systems remove that barrier, making it far easier to get started.
James Alexander, CEO, UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association said:
Investors will welcome government plans to place low-carbon efficiency measures at the heart of new building regulations. Well-implemented guidelines that raise the overall quality and sustainability of new properties can attract billions in private investment, support thousands of skilled jobs and contribute to wider economic growth. This can also potentially reduce long-term risks for mortgage holders, as it will help to safeguard the valuations of their homes.
Lawrence Slade, Chief Executive, Energy Networks Association, said:
Today is a significant step in the UK’s clean energy transition and in supporting the connection of additional home-grown solar power. The UK energy system is already an international leader in the delivery of local flexibility markets, and we’re keen to enable customers to safely and appropriately accelerate the connection of domestic renewable generation. Network operators are investing to create an energy grid that will meet the UK’s future demands for clean, affordable and secure energy. This will enable the transition to the greater use of low carbon technologies (LCTs) which they are also supporting by practical innovations like ENA’s Connect Direct service, to make the connection of more LCTs as straight forward, quick and safe as possible for customers.
