As the UK government prepares to unveil its highly anticipated Future Homes Standard (FHS) in early 2026, critics have raised concerns that ministers may cave to pressure from housebuilders and remove key carbon-cutting requirements.
The FHS, set to regulate the construction of all new homes in England, was expected to mandate strict energy efficiency measures such as solar panels, high insulation standards, and heat pumps. However, the Guardian has learned that the regulations are unlikely to stipulate the installation of home batteries, despite their significant benefits in enabling homeowners to maximise their use of self-generated renewable energy and reduce energy bills.
Jes Ralston, head of energy at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, warned that the failure to mandate battery storage could mean “we’re not making the most of our own power, increasing bills and meaning we need more gas from abroad.” Research suggests that the combination of heat pumps, solar panels, and batteries could save homeowners around £1,350 per year on their energy bills.
Housebuilders have been lobbying against the inclusion of batteries, which would entail an upfront cost to developers, even though the long-term savings would benefit homeowners. Rhodri Williams, the technical director at the Home Builders Federation, said builders prefer alternative measures such as “switch valves” or using excess solar power to heat water, neither of which directly store electrical energy.
Jan Rosenow, a professor of energy at Oxford’s Environmental Change Institute, described the potential omission of batteries as a “missed opportunity,” noting that “installing a battery at the point of construction is cheaper and less disruptive than retrofitting later.”
Despite the government’s stated commitment to tackling climate change and reducing energy costs for households, critics argue that the FHS could be watered down due to pressure from the housebuilding industry. Garry Felgate, the chief executive of the MCS Foundation, warned that the standard “could be a gamechanger,” but only if it includes the latest cost-saving net-zero technologies like batteries.
The government has promised to publish its “Warm Homes Plan” alongside the FHS, outlining how to insulate England’s drafty housing stock. However, experts are calling for clearer proposals on phasing out fossil fuel boilers and decommissioning the gas grid, to provide further confidence to the renewable energy sector and the public.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said the FHS is still in development and will be published early next year, ensuring that “our new homes are warmer and more affordable and help us to meet our net zero target by 2050.”