Two thirds (66%) of adults in Britain have reported a rise in living costs over the past few months, with a rise in energy prices being the main contributor.
Recent ONS data has also revealed that 79% of households have cited higher gas and electricity bills.
Homes with a lower EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) rating (D or below) are more likely to be affected by the rising costs.
The government has said that it wants all homes in England and Wales to reach an EPC rating of C or above by 2035, however, only 40% of homes currently meet that standard.
EPC ratings run from A (extremely efficient) through to G (extremely inefficient). A rating of C or higher is satisfactory.
With that being said, the team at Boiler Central have revealed the local authority areas in England and Wales with the best EPC ratings, using data collected by ONS (Office for National Statistics) during the first quarter of 2022.
Areas with highest EPC ratings C and above:
| Local authority | % of homes with EPC Rating C and above |
| Knowsley | 81.98% |
| Salford | 71.77% |
| Cambridge | 71.68% |
| Halton | 70.55% |
| Luton | 68.91% |
| Slough | 68.50% |
| Maidstone | 68.38% |
| Eastleigh | 67.49% |
| Wokingham | 67.40% |
| Vale of Glamorgan | 66.76% |
With a score of 81.98%, Knowsley takes first place as the area with the highest number of homes with an EPC rating of C or above.
Salford takes second place, with a score of 71.77%, whilst Cambridge is third with 71.68%.
Areas with the lowest EPC ratings C or above:
| Local authority | % of homes with EPC Rating C and above |
| Isles of Scilly | 15.38% |
| Gwynedd | 25.83% |
| Blackpool | 27.08% |
| Pendle | 29.04% |
| King’s Lynn and West Norfolk | 30.08% |
| Staffordshire Moorlands | 32.91% |
| Ceredigion | 33.39% |
| North Norfolk | 33.95% |
| Barrow-in-Furness | 34.01% |
| Burnley | 34.11% |
The Isles of Scilly has the lowest number of houses on a satisfactory rating of C or higher, with just 15.38%.
Gwynedd takes second place with 25.83% whilst Blackpool is third with 27.08% of homes on C or higher.
Fewer homes are awarded an EPC rating of A, the most energy efficient rating. However, some areas in the UK have more homes with an A rating than others.
Areas with EPC ratings A:
| Local authority | % of homes with EPC Rating A |
| Exeter | 10.29% |
| Broadland | 6.50% |
| Neath Port Talbot | 5.90% |
| Bracknell Forest | 4.40% |
| South Hams | 4.38% |
| Torfaen | 4.33% |
| South Cambridgeshire | 4.14% |
| Carmarthenshire | 3.97% |
| Selby | 3.77% |
| Merthyr Tydfil | 3.58% |
Exeter is the local authority with the highest percentage of homes on an EPC rating A, with 10.29% of homes.
In second place is Broadland, with a score of 6.5%, followed by Neath Port Talbot with a score of 5.9%.
Commenting on the figures, Myles Robinson from Boiler Central said: “An EPC ranks the property on how energy efficient it is with A being the best and so on. The certificate not only provides information regarding rankings and energy usage but also allows signifies if any improvements can be made on energy efficiency.
“If you are currently in the process of moving house, then you should make sure to check the EPC rating before you move. If the property has a low rating, it could mean that energy bills for the property may be high.
“However, there are some things you can do in your home to improve your EPC rating. Investing in double glazing windows, installing loft installation or replacing your boiler can all improve an energy rating, which could save you more money further down the line.”
The research was conducted by Boiler Central, which enables users to buy a new boiler online at a fixed price.
