Millions of new-build homes across England will soon come fitted with solar panels as standard, as the government confirms major changes to building regulations under its Future Homes Standard.
The move, announced today, is designed to slash energy bills, cut emissions and put renewable power at the heart of everyday living.
Solar panels can save people hundreds of pounds off their energy bills, so it is just common sense for new homes to have them fitted as standard. Today marks a monumental step in unleashing this rooftop revolution as part of our Plan for Change, and means new homeowners will get lower bills with clean home-grown power.”
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband
The policy is expected to be included in the final Future Homes Standard to be published this autumn.
Under the updated proposals, all new-build homes must include rooftop solar unless there are clear, practical constraints—such as heavy shading from trees or nearby structures.
The aim is to ensure that clean electricity generation is baked into the design of homes from day one.
Analysis by the government shows a typical home fitted with a 3.5kW solar system could save around £530 a year on energy bills based on current price caps.
The change is also expected to accelerate the UK’s push towards net zero and reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels.
The new rules will also lock in higher energy efficiency standards and require low-carbon heating in new homes—mainly heat pumps or heat networks.
The government says this will help ease pressure on the grid, cut household bills and support energy independence.
The move follows Labour’s decision to scrap planning restrictions that previously blocked many households from installing heat pumps.
As of 29 May, the one-metre boundary rule has been lifted, larger units are permitted and detached homes can now have two heat pumps without full planning permission.
These changes are designed to remove the practical hurdles that have held back uptake. Figures from Octopus Energy show 34% of people who wanted a heat pump were put off by planning red tape.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which offers grants of up to £7,500 for heat pump installation, saw a 73% rise in applications in early 2025, with more than 11,000 people applying between January and March.
The government has made clear that the previous policy—where developers could opt for no solar panels at all—allowed too many to build homes without renewables.
Under the new rules, even if developers cannot meet the 40% rooftop coverage target, they will still be required to install a reasonable level of solar.
Final technical details are being developed with industry and will be confirmed in the published Future Homes Standard this autumn.
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