Commercial EPC ratings in England and Wales: the 2026 data
Updated 23 October 2026 · SEO Dons Editorial
How many commercial EPCs are lodged each year, and how are they rated?
Table A of the live tables published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) records 90,448 non-domestic EPCs lodged in England and Wales in the four quarters from July 2025 to June 2026: 86,394 in England and 4,054 in Wales. MHCLG's statistical release gives the two totals rounded, at 86,000 for England (7% fewer than in the previous twelve months) and 4,000 for Wales (19% fewer). It adds that quarterly figures are not seasonally adjusted and should only be compared with the same quarter a year earlier.
Table 1. EPCs lodged by band, England and Wales, July 2025 to June 2026 (calculated from live Table A).
| Band | EPCs lodged | Share |
|---|---|---|
| A+ | 752 | 0.8% |
| A | 7,936 | 8.8% |
| B | 30,713 | 34.0% |
| C | 30,992 | 34.3% |
| D | 13,126 | 14.5% |
| E | 5,755 | 6.4% |
| F | 568 | 0.6% |
| G | 606 | 0.7% |
| All bands | 90,448 | 100% |
Bands A+, A and B make up 43.6% of the certificates, band E 6.4% and bands F and G 1.3% (1,174 certificates). Regulation 22 of the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015 (the MEES Regulations) sets band E as the minimum level of energy efficiency for a let non-domestic property, so F and G sit below it. Whether a given letting is caught depends on the tenancy, the certificate's validity and any exemption, none of which Table A records. The MEES compliance page sets out the rules, and what an E rating means for letting has its own guide.
What does "EPCs lodged" count, and what does it miss?
It counts certificates, not buildings. MHCLG's technical notes say the register "does not hold data for every domestic and non-domestic building" and that the statistics should not be read "as a true representation of the whole of the building stock".
- Triggers. A certificate is lodged when a building is constructed, sold or let and no valid EPC is in place. A building occupied by the same person since the regulations came into effect need not have one.
- Repeats. Table A counts all EPCs "whether valid or invalid" (cancelled reports excluded), and repeat certificates for one building are not distinguishable in the high-level statistics.
- Other units. HM Revenue and Customs' Valuation Office statistics count 2.14 million rateable "hereditaments" on the local rating list at 31 March 2026. That is a different unit again, so do not divide one figure by the other.
- Scope and revisions. England and Wales only, with Display Energy Certificates in a separate table (DEC1). Earlier versions of the tables can differ because holders may opt out.
How do commercial EPC ratings differ by region?
Table 2. EPCs lodged by region, July 2025 to June 2026. Shares are of the EPCs lodged in each area.
| Region or nation | EPCs lodged | A+ to B | E | F or G | Average floor area (m²) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 14,435 | 53.8% | 3.8% | 0.6% | 828 |
| South East | 14,150 | 45.4% | 5.9% | 1.2% | 654 |
| North West | 11,475 | 39.2% | 7.4% | 1.2% | 753 |
| East of England | 9,161 | 43.6% | 6.3% | 1.3% | 694 |
| West Midlands | 9,027 | 41.8% | 6.6% | 1.5% | 785 |
| South West | 8,972 | 40.3% | 6.1% | 1.3% | 626 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 8,110 | 40.7% | 8.3% | 1.8% | 868 |
| East Midlands | 7,101 | 40.8% | 7.6% | 1.9% | 1,039 |
| North East | 3,929 | 41.8% | 6.8% | 1.5% | 783 |
| Wales | 4,054 | 36.2% | 8.0% | 2.0% | 608 |
| England | 86,394 | 43.9% | 6.3% | 1.3% | 769 |
| England and Wales | 90,448 | 43.6% | 6.4% | 1.3% | 762 |
- London lodged the most (14,435, 16.0% of the total), with the highest A+ to B share (53.8%) and the lowest F or G share (0.6%). Its councils are in London commercial EPC ratings by borough.
- The North West had the lowest A+ to B share among English regions (39.2%). Wales was lower still (36.2%) and had the highest F or G share (2.0%).
- The East Midlands had the largest average floor area per EPC (1,039 m², against 762 m² overall). Table A has no building-type field, so it cannot say why.
How have commercial EPC ratings changed between 2012 and 2026?
The F or G share fell from 20.3% of EPCs lodged in 2012 to 1.0% in 2023 and has stayed at 1.2% to 1.3% since. The A+ to B share rose from 7.2% to 43.3% in the first half of 2026, while the E share fell from 16.2% to 6.2%.
Table 3. EPCs lodged by year, England and Wales.
| Year | EPCs lodged | A+ to B | E | F or G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 101,847 | 7.2% | 16.2% | 20.3% |
| 2015 | 66,802 | 11.0% | 16.4% | 15.4% |
| 2017 | 74,522 | 11.1% | 18.0% | 9.7% |
| 2018 | 90,035 | 12.7% | 19.6% | 4.5% |
| 2021 | 87,714 | 17.8% | 14.2% | 2.2% |
| 2022 | 112,487 | 28.8% | 10.4% | 1.6% |
| 2023 | 139,897 | 36.6% | 8.4% | 1.0% |
| 2024 | 102,851 | 40.2% | 7.4% | 1.2% |
| 2025 | 93,343 | 42.8% | 6.6% | 1.3% |
| January to June 2026 | 45,180 | 43.3% | 6.2% | 1.3% |
Regulation 27(2) applies the ban on letting a sub-standard property to new, extended and renewed tenancies from 1 April 2018, and to continuing an existing tenancy from 1 April 2023. The F or G share more than halved between 2017 and 2018, and 2023 is the busiest year in the table. Table A does not record why a certificate was lodged, so it cannot show whether those dates and these movements are linked. The table starts in 2012 because MHCLG says data quality improved from mid-2012 onwards.
Which councils have the highest and lowest shares of A+ to B?
Shares from small counts swing widely, so Tables 4 and 5 rank only the 248 councils with at least 150 EPCs lodged. Westminster (1,812), Birmingham (1,617) and Leeds (1,213) lodged the most.
Table 4. Highest A+ to B shares.
| Council | EPCs lodged | A+ to B | E | F or G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City of London | 398 | 75.9% | 2.3% | 0.5% |
| Westminster | 1,812 | 66.3% | 2.2% | 0.3% |
| Southwark | 664 | 63.4% | 3.0% | 0.9% |
| Slough | 209 | 61.2% | 1.0% | 0.5% |
| Lambeth | 466 | 60.5% | 4.7% | 1.5% |
| Tower Hamlets | 541 | 60.3% | 2.8% | 0.4% |
| Vale of White Horse | 316 | 59.5% | 3.8% | 0.9% |
| Lincoln | 207 | 59.4% | 6.3% | 1.0% |
Table 5. Lowest A+ to B shares.
| Council | EPCs lodged | A+ to B | E | F or G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powys | 155 | 19.4% | 10.3% | 3.9% |
| Isle of Wight | 190 | 21.1% | 7.4% | 3.7% |
| Conwy | 187 | 23.5% | 15.5% | 2.1% |
| Stoke-on-Trent | 393 | 26.0% | 11.5% | 2.3% |
| Westmorland and Furness | 401 | 27.9% | 13.7% | 2.2% |
| South Kesteven | 215 | 28.4% | 1.9% | 0.5% |
| Derbyshire Dales | 171 | 28.7% | 11.1% | 1.2% |
| Tendring | 187 | 29.4% | 9.1% | 1.1% |
F or G shares are the least stable measure. The highest, Hinckley and Bosworth (6.0%), Redcar and Cleveland (5.0%) and Carmarthenshire (4.7%), rest on 14, 8 and 10 certificates, while several councils with 150 or more EPCs lodged, including Arun, Brighton and Hove and Ealing, recorded none.
How were these figures worked out?
- Source. Table A of the MHCLG live tables, published 30 July 2026 with data to 30 June 2026. The next release is scheduled for 29 October 2026.
- Window and shares. Quarters 2025/3 to 2026/2, added together. A+ to B adds columns A+, A and B, F or G adds F and G, and each is divided by Number Lodgements and rounded to one decimal place. Average floor area is Total Floor Area (m²) divided by Number Lodgements.
- Councils. Sheffield (codes E08000019 and E08000039) and Barnsley (E08000016 and E08000038) each appear under two codes, so their rows are added. England includes 34 EPCs with no region.
- Older council areas. Table A also lists 310 EPCs under 23 older council areas, all in the first quarter of 2026. The live-tables page attributes this to a processing error, so councils that took over those areas may look slightly low.
- Cross-check. For April to June 2026 the calculated figures match the release: 21,727 EPCs in England (22,000 rounded) and 845 in Wales (1,000 rounded), with 44.2% and 35.0% rated A+ to B (44% and 35%).
Cite this data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, Live tables on Energy Performance of Buildings Certificates, Table A, data to 30 June 2026. The percentages, averages and rankings here are calculated from that table, not published by MHCLG.
For the underlying records, see how to download commercial EPC data. For one building's certificate, see how to find a commercial EPC on the register.
Sources
- Live tables on Energy Performance of Buildings Certificates (Table A), Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, updated 7 September 2026, checked 22 October 2026.
- Statistical release: April to June 2026, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, published 30 July 2026, checked 22 October 2026.
- Technical notes, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, updated 30 July 2026, checked 22 October 2026.
- MEES Regulations 2015, regulation 22 and regulation 27, legislation.gov.uk, checked 22 October 2026.
- Non-domestic rating: stock of properties, March 2026, HM Revenue and Customs, published 14 May 2026, checked 22 October 2026.
- Get energy performance of buildings data, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, checked 22 October 2026.
- Open Government Licence v3.0, The National Archives, checked 22 October 2026.
Common questions
Does a 1.3% F or G share mean 1.3% of commercial buildings cannot be let?
No. The 1.3% is a share of the certificates lodged between July 2025 and June 2026, not of all buildings or lettings. Whether a letting is caught depends on the tenancy, the certificate's validity and any exemption, and Table A records none of those.
Can these figures tell me the rating of a particular building?
No, because they are aggregate counts. A single building's certificate sits on the register, and the guide to finding a commercial EPC on the register explains the lookup.
When will the figures next change?
MHCLG expects to publish the July to September 2026 release on 29 October 2026. Table A is updated quarterly, so the four-quarter window used here will move forward then.
Where can I get the underlying certificate records?
MHCLG's open data service offers certificate-level CSV downloads and an API, both using a GOV.UK One Login account. The download guide on this site covers the steps, licence terms and quirks.