The Future Homes Standard (FHS) is the UK Government's plan to make new homes zero-carbon-ready. It's a package of updates to Part L and Part F of the Building Regulations, rolling out through 2025 and 2026, designed to cut carbon emissions from new-build dwellings and strip the need for future retrofit work.
In practice, it means tighter fabric standards, low-carbon heating as standard, and a much sharper focus on whether the finished home actually performs the way the design said it would. Which is where the photographic evidence bar gets raised.
What the Future Homes Standard changes
The big headline changes for new dwellings:
- Low-carbon heating as default. No new gas boilers installed in new-build dwellings once the full standard is in force - heat pumps, connection to heat networks, or similar low-carbon alternatives instead.
- Tighter fabric energy efficiency. Lower U-values across walls, roofs, floors, and windows. Better insulation throughout.
- Reduced thermal bridging. More focus on junctions where fabric meets fabric - a major route for heat loss.
- Stricter airtightness expectations. Lower air permeability rates, with better membrane and tape practice on site.
- Waste heat recovery. Mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR) is more practical once homes are airtight enough to justify it.
- Ready for zero-carbon. Homes built to FHS don't need retrofit later. The grid decarbonises; the homes don't need touching.
Why the Future Homes Standard exists
Three reasons:
- Net zero targets. The UK is legally committed to net zero by 2050. Residential buildings are a significant share of carbon emissions; new builds are the easiest place to stop the problem getting worse.
- The Performance Gap. Studies have shown that many homes built to earlier Part L standards don't actually hit their designed performance in use. FHS tightens both the targets and the evidence required, narrowing the gap.
- Avoiding costly retrofit. Retrofitting a home to modern standards is vastly more expensive than building it right the first time. FHS prevents a future retrofit bill.
The transition timeline
FHS is being rolled out in phases, not switched on overnight. The current transitional arrangements apply during 2025 and 2026 as the full standard is implemented. Individual local authorities and developers may adopt different timings within this window, so check with your Building Control body for your specific site.
In practice: if you're submitting Part L applications in 2026, you're already working to tightened standards compared to the 2022 regulations. The full FHS brings a further step up.
What FHS means for builders
Four practical shifts:
- More evidence per plot. Tighter standards mean more construction details need photographing - thermal-bridging junctions, insulation continuity, airtightness membranes.
- Heat-pump installation photos. As gas boilers phase out of new builds, heat-pump and heat-network installation photos become a standard part of Appendix B.
- Airtightness matters more. A failed airtightness test is now more likely to push a dwelling out of compliance. Which means better tape and membrane practice on site, and better photographic evidence of it.
- Stricter assessor reviews. OCDEAs are reviewing evidence with an eye on the Performance Gap. Missing or ambiguous photos mean more as-built penalties and worse EPC bands.
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What FHS means for assessors
- More photos per dwelling to review
- Greater scrutiny from Building Control on the quality of as-built evidence
- Harder conversations with builders whose evidence is thin
- More commercial value in helping builder clients get the evidence right first time
Frequently asked questions
What is the Future Homes Standard?
The Future Homes Standard (FHS) is a UK Government package of updates to Part L and Part F of the Building Regulations. It requires new homes to be zero-carbon-ready, with tighter fabric standards, low-carbon heating as default, and stricter photographic evidence expectations.
When does the Future Homes Standard come into force?
The transition is rolling out through 2025 and 2026, with phased adoption by Building Control bodies and developers. The full standard tightens what was already a 2022 update to Part L. Check with your local Building Control for specific site timings.
Are gas boilers banned under the Future Homes Standard?
Once the full standard is in force, new gas boilers will not be permitted in new-build dwellings. Low-carbon heating - typically heat pumps or connection to heat networks - becomes the default.
How does the Future Homes Standard affect Part L evidence?
Evidence expectations are higher. More Appendix B sections need photographing per plot. Thermal-bridging junctions, airtightness measures, and heat-pump installations all need clear photographic evidence. OCDEAs scrutinise more closely, with more impact on the final EPC band.
Does the Future Homes Standard apply to extensions and renovations?
FHS primarily targets new-build dwellings. Work to existing dwellings is covered by Part L1B, which is also being tightened but on a different timeline. Replacement of thermal elements (like new windows or re-roofing) still has to meet current Part L targets.
What is the Performance Gap?
The Performance Gap is the difference between a dwelling's designed energy performance and its actual as-built performance. Studies have shown many homes perform worse than designed because of gaps in insulation, thermal bridging, or poor airtightness. FHS tightens both the design targets and the evidence requirements to narrow this gap.
Related terms
- What is Part L? - the regulation FHS tightens
- What is Appendix B? - the photo evidence bar rising under FHS
- What is SAP? - the methodology being updated for FHS
- What is an OCDEA? - the assessor enforcing the new bar
- What is a BREL Report? - the document that captures FHS compliance
