📋 In This Guide
- What Is the Future Homes Standard?
- Key Dates You Need to Know
- Does the Future Homes Standard Affect Home Extensions?
- Does It Affect Loft and Garage Conversions?
- When Does the Future Homes Standard Apply to Your Project?
- Can You Still Build to the Current Rules?
- Should You Build Your Extension Beyond the Minimum?
- What Birmingham Homeowners Should Do Now
- Need Advice on Your Project?
- Frequently Asked Questions
The Future Homes Standard is the biggest change to energy rules for homes in England in more than a decade. It was published on 24 March 2026 and comes into force on 24 March 2027. If you are planning an extension, loft conversion or new build in Birmingham, you are probably wondering whether it affects you — and whether you need to act before the deadline.
The short version: it mainly affects new homes. Extensions and loft conversions to existing houses carry on under the current Part L rules, with the same insulation targets as today. But if your project creates a new dwelling, the timing of your Building Regulations application really matters.
What Is the Future Homes Standard?
The Future Homes Standard is the 2026 update to Part L (conservation of fuel and power) and Part F (ventilation) of the Building Regulations in England, introduced through the Building Regulations etc. (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2026. It aims for new homes to produce around 75–80% less carbon than homes built to the 2013 standard.
For new homes, that means in practice:
- Low-carbon heating — the carbon targets cannot be met with gas, oil or LPG boilers, so heat pumps become the norm.
- Solar panels on most new homes.
- Better fabric and airtightness — well-insulated walls, floors and roofs and high-performance windows.
Key Dates You Need to Know
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 24 March 2026 | Regulations and the 2026 Approved Documents L and F published |
| 24 March 2027 | Future Homes Standard comes into force for most building work in England |
| 24 September 2027 | Applies to higher-risk buildings (taller residential blocks) |
| 24 March 2028 | Transition ends: projects with an application in before 24 March 2027 must have started work by this date to stay on the 2021 rules |
Does the Future Homes Standard Affect Home Extensions?
No, not directly. The Future Homes Standard sets the rules for new dwellings. A rear, side or wrap-around extension to your existing house still has to meet the current Part L requirements for work to existing homes, and the limiting insulation values for new extension elements are unchanged.
| New element in an extension | Maximum U-value (W/m²K) |
|---|---|
| External walls | 0.18 |
| Pitched or flat roof | 0.15 |
| Floor | 0.18 |
| Windows and glazed doors | 1.4 |
Lower U-values mean better insulation. Your designer or builder will show compliance in the Building Regulations application, and large areas of glazing may need extra calculations. You can still replace or extend an existing gas boiler system in your home — the ban on fossil-fuel heating applies to new homes, not existing ones.
Does It Affect Loft and Garage Conversions?
Usually not. Converting your loft or garage into extra rooms for your existing home is treated as work to an existing dwelling, so the current Part L rules for existing homes apply. Read our loft conversion guide and garage conversion cost guide for what these projects involve.
When Does the Future Homes Standard Apply to Your Project?
Take extra care if your project creates a new, separate home, for example:
- Building a new house on your land or in a large garden
- A self-build or replacement dwelling
- Splitting a house into flats, or converting a commercial building into homes
- A garden annex designed to be lived in as a separate dwelling
Brand-new dwellings will need to meet the Future Homes Standard unless the transitional arrangement applies. Conversions that create new homes have their own energy requirements, so confirm the position with building control before you design.
Can You Still Build to the Current Rules?
Yes, if you move quickly. Projects where the building notice, initial notice or full plans application is submitted before 24 March 2027, and where work starts on site before 24 March 2028, can be built to the current Part L 2021 standards. This is judged building by building. If you are planning a new build, now is the time to get drawings and your Building Regulations application moving.
Should You Build Your Extension Beyond the Minimum?
Even though your extension does not have to meet the Future Homes Standard, building better than the minimum is often worth it:
- Lower bills: extra insulation and better glazing reduce heat loss for decades.
- Heat pump ready: a well-insulated home suits low-temperature heating such as a heat pump, which can qualify for a £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant.
- 0% VAT on energy-saving materials such as insulation, heat pumps and solar panels installed in homes, currently available until 31 March 2027.
- Future value: buyers increasingly compare running costs and EPC ratings.
Our guide to sustainable building in Birmingham covers practical upgrades that fit naturally into an extension project.
What Birmingham Homeowners Should Do Now
- Extending or converting your loft? Carry on as planned — the rules for your project are not changing in March 2027.
- Planning a new build, annex or flat conversion? Aim to submit your Building Regulations application before 24 March 2027 and start work before 24 March 2028 if you want to use the current rules.
- Upgrading your heating at the same time? Check grant eligibility and plan insulation first, so the new system works efficiently.
- Not sure which rules apply? Ask your builder or building control at the design stage, not after work starts. See our Building Regulations guide for Birmingham.
Need Advice on Your Project?
HSS Design & Build designs and builds extensions, loft conversions, renovations and new builds across Birmingham and the West Midlands, handling Building Regulations from start to finish. Book a free site visit and we will tell you exactly which standards apply to your project and how to future-proof it.
Last updated: 4 November 2026. This guide is general information for projects in England; always confirm requirements with building control for your specific project.
Not sure which rules apply to your project?
Book a free site visit and HSS Design & Build will confirm the Building Regulations for your extension, conversion or new build.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When does the Future Homes Standard come into force?
The Future Homes Standard was published on 24 March 2026 and comes into force on 24 March 2027 for most building work in England, and on 24 September 2027 for higher-risk buildings.
Does the Future Homes Standard apply to house extensions?
No. It sets the rules for new dwellings. Extensions to existing homes still follow the current Part L requirements for existing dwellings, and the limiting U-values for new extension elements are unchanged.
What U-values does a new extension need?
New extension elements generally need U-values of 0.18 W/m²K for walls, 0.15 for roofs, 0.18 for floors and 1.4 for windows and glazed doors.
Can I still install a gas boiler in my existing home after 2027?
Yes. The Future Homes Standard rules out fossil-fuel heating in new homes, but replacing or keeping a gas boiler in an existing home remains allowed.
How can I avoid the Future Homes Standard on a new build?
If your building notice, initial notice or full plans application is submitted before 24 March 2027 and work starts on site before 24 March 2028, that building can be built to the current Part L 2021 standards.
Does a loft conversion need to meet the Future Homes Standard?
Usually not. A loft conversion that adds rooms to your existing home is work to an existing dwelling, so the current Part L rules for existing homes apply.