Future Homes Standard: Heat Pumps and Solar Required on All New Homes From 2028

On 24 March 2026, the UK government published the Future Homes Standard, confirming that all new homes in England must have heat pumps and solar panels from 2028. No new homes will be connected to the gas network. Every new home must have solar panels on its roof.

This is the biggest change to residential building regulations in a generation. For Northern Ireland, where building rules are set at Stormont, the standard does not apply directly. But the signal it sends is impossible to ignore: heat pumps and solar are now the baseline for every new home in the UK.

Key takeaway: The Future Homes Standard makes heat pumps and solar panels the legal minimum for new homes in England from 2028. Scotland has already banned fossil fuel heating in new builds. Northern Ireland’s building regulations are likely to follow. For existing homeowners, the policy validates solar and heat pumps as mainstream investments and will drive down costs across the UK market.

What the Future Homes Standard requires

The standard updates Part L of the Building Regulations with three core requirements for new homes from 2028:

• Low-carbon heating only. Every new home must be heated by a heat pump or connected to a low-carbon heat network. Gas boilers are effectively banned; the carbon emission targets are set so that no fossil fuel heating system can achieve compliance.
• Solar panels on every roof. Solar panels become a functional requirement of the Building Regulations for the first time. Developers must install panels covering an area equivalent to 40% of the ground floor space. Where roof design, orientation, or shading makes this impractical, a “reasonable” amount of solar must still be installed.
• 75% lower emissions. New homes must produce at least 75% fewer carbon emissions than homes built to the 2013 standard.

The government estimates these changes add around £10,000 to the build cost per home. But the savings are substantial: homes built to this standard are expected to have energy bills roughly £830 per year lower than a standard EPC-C property.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband framed the announcement around energy security: “The Iran war has once again shown our drive for clean power is essential for our energy security so we can escape the grip of fossil fuel markets we don’t control.”

Why heat pumps and solar together?

The logic behind requiring both technologies on every new home is straightforward, and it is the same logic that applies to existing homes.

A heat pump uses electricity to extract warmth from the outside air and deliver it into your home at efficiencies of 250% to 400%. Solar panels generate free electricity from daylight. Pair the two, and you can heat your home with renewable energy produced on your own roof.

For a detailed breakdown of how the two technologies work together, system sizing, and costs, see our guide to combining heat pumps with solar panels.

The government chose not to require battery storage alongside solar and heat pumps. Hannah McCarthy from Octopus Energy said batteries would “take that a step further,” but the standard stops short. For homeowners, adding a battery remains a strong optional upgrade that significantly increases the share of solar electricity you can use.

Industry reaction

The energy sector has broadly welcomed the clarity. Garry Felgate, CEO of the MCS Foundation (which certifies heat pump and solar installers), said the standard would “give clarity to the UK market, installers, builders, manufacturers, that there’s a significant market that’s there.”

Housebuilders are more cautious. Neil Jefferson, CEO of the Home Builders Federation, said the solar panel requirement was unexpectedly ambitious: “The government has really pushed the number of solar panels that are required on rooftops right to the limit. We think 60% of homes can’t actually reach that standard.”

Exemptions exist for homes where roof design prevents full coverage, but each property will need individual assessment. With the government targeting 1.5 million new homes by 2029, the industry is flagging potential bottlenecks.

What this means for Northern Ireland

Building regulations in Northern Ireland are devolved to Stormont. The Future Homes Standard applies to England. Scotland banned gas and oil heating in new builds two years ago. Northern Ireland has not yet made an equivalent move, but the direction of travel is unmistakable.

NI’s building regulations are tightening

Part F of the Northern Ireland Building Regulations already sets energy performance targets that are increasingly difficult to meet without renewable energy. Most new builds in NI now include solar panels as part of the standard specification. The Future Homes Standard sets the destination; NI’s regulations are moving in the same direction, even if the timeline differs.

Oil-heated homes face the biggest shift

Northern Ireland’s housing stock is uniquely dependent on oil. Around 68% of NI homes still use oil central heating, compared to under 4% in England. The Future Homes Standard does not require existing homeowners to switch, but it establishes heat pumps as the replacement technology for new housing.

For oil-heated homes considering a switch, solar panels are the natural first step. A rooftop solar system reduces your electricity costs immediately, and if you later add a heat pump, the panels can power it. This phased approach, solar first, heat pump second, is the most cost-effective route for most NI homeowners. See our comparison guide for the full breakdown.

Installer capacity and pricing

When every new home in England requires a heat pump and solar panels, manufacturers will scale production and more installers will enter the market. The government has committed £1 billion to solar workforce development, including funded apprenticeships and training grants for electricians to gain MCS certification.

More supply means more competitive pricing across the whole UK, including Northern Ireland. For a market where installer capacity is already stretched, the workforce expansion is particularly welcome.

Plug-in solar is coming

Alongside the Future Homes Standard, the government announced that plug-in solar panels will be available in UK supermarkets within months. These are small DIY panels (up to 800W) that plug directly into a standard mains socket. No electrician required. They are already legal in Germany, where over 1.5 million homes have them.

The IET has urged caution, noting that the UK’s ageing housing stock and “poorly maintained electrical installations” mean householders should have their electrics checked before plugging in. But for renters, flat owners, and anyone who cannot commit to a full rooftop system, plug-in solar opens up a new entry point.

Should you wait for prices to drop?

No. The Future Homes Standard will eventually push prices down, but that effect will take years to materialise fully. In the meantime:

• Solar panel prices are already near historic lows
• Electricity costs in NI sit between 28p and 32p per kWh, with little sign of relief
• 0% VAT on domestic solar installations remains in place
• A typical solar system saves around £900 per year from day one

Every month you wait is a month of savings lost. The Future Homes Standard confirms what the economics already show: solar panels are the most practical way to cut your energy bills and reduce your exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices.

If you are ready to explore what solar could do for your home, get a free quote from an MCS-certified installer in Northern Ireland.