What a 3 bed semi costs to run by EPC band
A 3 bed semi-detached house heated by mains gas, at the price cap for October to December 2026, including standing charges. Bands F and G use the band E figure, for the reason given below.
| EPC band | A year | A month |
|---|---|---|
| A or B | £1,552 | £129 |
| C | £1,754 | £146 |
| D | £1,885 | £157 |
| E, F or G | £1,981 | £165 |
The same home in band D with other heating:
| Heating | A year | A month |
|---|---|---|
| Mains gas boiler | £1,885 | £157 |
| Oil boiler | £2,216 | £185 |
| LPG boiler | £2,006 | £167 |
| Electric heating, standard rate | £3,506 | £292 |
Our guide to running costs before you buy gives these figures for every common size of home, and explains why they differ from the all-homes averages in our bills by EPC rating guide.
How the check works
The bill now comes from our heat model, built from 2024 meter readings for 39,502 gas heated homes in the government's National Energy Efficiency Data-Framework, for a home of this type and size in this EPC band, plus the median electricity for homes with that many bedrooms. The bands are compared within homes of the same type and size, so a bigger house is not mistaken for a worse band.
The route to band C ranks every upgrade the home can take by cost per EPC point and adds them, cheapest first, until the home reaches band C, using the same points model as our EPC calculator. Where you answer not sure about the walls, loft or windows, the check assumes they are already done, so it never counts a cheap upgrade the home may not need, and it shows the cheaper route if they turn out to need work.
The bill after is what a band C home of the same type and size typically pays; with a heat pump in the route it is priced on a standard electricity tariff with the gas supply capped. Homes in bands F and G buy slightly less gas than band E homes on the meter, which is under-heating rather than efficiency, so the check uses the band E figure for them.
Frequently asked questions
How much will the energy bills be on a house I am buying?
It depends on the size, the EPC band and the heating. A 3 bed semi heated by mains gas costs about £1,885 a year in band D and £1,754 in band C at the Ofgem price cap for October to December 2026. The check above works it out for the home you are looking at.
Where do I find the EPC band of a house for sale?
The listing should show it, and every certificate lodged in England and Wales is free to read on the GOV.UK register, searchable by postcode. The certificate also gives the score from 1 to 100, which makes this check more precise.
What does it cost to get a house to EPC band C?
It depends on what the house already has. Where the loft and cavity walls still need insulating, the cheapest route is often a few hundred to a couple of thousand pounds; where they are done, it can take solar panels or a heat pump. The check lists the cheapest route for the home you describe.
How is the saving worked out?
Measure by measure. Loft, cavity and solid wall insulation use the median fall in gas use the government measured in real homes after each one. Solar panels use our solar calculator for a 4 kW south facing roof in the Midlands, export payments included. A heat pump is compared on a heat pump tariff. LED bulbs, heating controls, glazing and a new boiler lift the rating, but we have no measured bill saving for them, so they count as nothing and the payback is a cautious guide.
Data sources
- DESNZ, National Energy Efficiency Data-Framework 2026: 2024 gas use by home type, size and EPC band, and electricity by number of bedrooms.
- Ofgem, price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026; BoilerJuice UK average kerosene price, 25 September 2026.
- Energy Saving Trust insulation and glazing costs, 2026; DESNZ Boiler Upgrade Scheme statistics, August 2026, for heat pump costs; Energy Systems Catapult for DESNZ, Electrification of Heat trial, for heat pump efficiency.