Heat Pumps and Solar Panels Mandatory on All New Homes From 2028

The UK government confirmed on 24 March 2026 that all new homes in England must be fitted with heat pumps and solar panels from 2028. The announcement, part of the long-awaited Future Homes Standard, marks the biggest change to residential building regulations in a decade.

For Northern Ireland homeowners, the policy does not apply directly. Building regulations here are set at Stormont, not Westminster. But the implications are significant: solar panels and heat pumps are no longer emerging technologies. They are the new standard for every home built in the UK.

What has the government announced?

The Future Homes Standard updates Part L of the Building Regulations in England. From 2028, all new homes must meet three key requirements:

1. No gas connections. New homes will not be connected to the gas network. Heating must come from a heat pump or a low-carbon heat network.
2. Solar panels on every roof. Solar becomes 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.
3. 75% lower carbon emissions. New homes must produce at least 75% fewer carbon emissions than homes built to the 2013 standard.

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said the Iran war had “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.”

The changes are estimated to add around £10,000 to the build cost of each home. But homes built to the standard are expected to save around £830 per year on energy bills compared to a typical EPC-C property.

What the industry is saying

The response from the energy sector has been broadly positive. 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.”

Hannah McCarthy from Octopus Energy welcomed the move but said batteries would take decarbonisation “a step further”. The government opted not to make battery storage a requirement, leaving that as an optional upgrade.

The Home Builders Federation acknowledged the changes were expected but raised concerns about the solar panel requirement. Neil Jefferson, HBF CEO, said the government had “really pushed the number of solar panels that are required on rooftops right to the limit” and estimated that 60% of homes could not meet the 40% coverage target. Exemptions exist where roof design makes full coverage impractical, but each home will need to be assessed individually.

What about Northern Ireland?

Building regulations in Northern Ireland are devolved. The Future Homes Standard applies to England, and Scotland has already banned gas and oil heating in new builds. Northern Ireland’s Part F regulations set energy performance targets that are becoming harder to meet without renewables, and most new builds in NI already include solar panels as standard.

The direction is clear. Whether NI adopts its own equivalent standard or simply follows the market trend, heat pumps and solar panels are becoming the default for new housing.

For a full breakdown of what new build buyers in NI should look for, see our guide to solar panels on new builds.

What this means if you already own your home

The Future Homes Standard applies to new builds, not existing properties. Nobody is being required to retrofit solar panels or a heat pump to their current home. But the policy shift has several practical implications for homeowners in Northern Ireland:

Solar and heat pump costs will fall further

When every new home in England needs a heat pump and solar panels, manufacturers will scale up production and installers will scale up training. That drives prices down across the whole UK market, including Northern Ireland. The government has committed £15 billion to its Warm Homes Plan and is funding solar apprenticeships through a £1 billion employment programme.

Your home’s energy rating matters more

With new builds arriving on the market with built-in solar and heat pumps, older homes without renewables will look increasingly dated on EPC certificates. Adding solar now improves your EPC rating and protects your home’s value in a market where buyers will increasingly expect green technology as standard.

The payback case is stronger than ever

A typical 4.5kW solar system in Northern Ireland costs around £6,500 to £8,000, saves roughly £900 per year on electricity bills, and pays for itself in seven to nine years. With 0% VAT still in place and electricity prices sitting between 28p and 32p per kWh, the financial case is as strong as it has ever been.

Plug-in solar is coming to the high street

As part of the same announcement, the government confirmed that plug-in solar panels will be available in UK supermarkets within months. These small DIY panels (up to 800W) plug directly into a mains socket and cost between £300 and £1,000. They are already used in over 1.5 million homes in Germany. For renters, flat owners, or anyone not ready to commit to a full rooftop system, this is a genuinely new option.

Should you wait?

No. If anything, this announcement reinforces the case for acting now rather than later. Solar panels are already near their lowest price point. Electricity costs are high and volatile. The 0% VAT rate is in place until at least March 2027 and is widely expected to be extended.

Every month of waiting is a month of electricity bills that could have been offset by panels on your roof. The Future Homes Standard validates what the numbers already show: solar is the most practical way to cut your energy costs and reduce your dependence on fossil fuel markets you cannot control.

If you are considering solar for your home, compare quotes from MCS-certified installers in Northern Ireland to see what a system would cost for your property.