4 June 2026
If energy bills have been playing on your mind, you’re not alone. Over the past few years, costs have been unpredictable and noticeably higher than they used to be. Throw energy market uncertainty into the mix and it’s understandable that a lot of homeowners are feeling unsure about what comes next.
So, it’s no surprise that more people are looking for ways to feel in control. And taking important steps to make homes warmer, more efficient and easier (and hopefully cheaper) to run.
More homeowners are exploring energy improvements
When looking at home improvements, it can be something as simple as upgrading insulation, modernising windows and doors, or adding smarter heating controls. You can go even further and look at options like solar panels, heat pumps, underfloor heating or battery storage systems.
A growing part of this conversation is retrofit. Put simply, retrofit is about upgrading a home so it’s more energy efficient, warmer in winter and less dependent on fossil fuels for heating and power. It’s likely to become a much bigger topic for homeowners over the next few years, especially as the UK works towards its net zero target by 2050.
More people than ever are taking a closer look at renewable technology, with Octopus Energy reporting a 54% rise in solar panel sales, as recent instability in global energy markets has brought energy costs and financial security back into focus for many households.
And while it’s great that there are more options available than ever before, it can also start to feel a bit overwhelming.
That’s exactly where Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Plus could really help.
Getting a clearer picture of your home
Through Vibrant*, Skipton members can get access to a free EPC Plus home energy report for properties over 10 years old. If you’re not a member with us yet, you can still contact Vibrant for a report, but there will be a fee to pay.
This report is a simple way to get a clearer picture of how your home is performing today, and where small changes could make a big difference. Whether that’s improving comfort, reducing wasted energy or helping lower running costs over time.
For landlords in particular, it’s becoming more urgent too. With proposed government plans suggesting most rental properties will need to reach at least an EPC rating of C by 2030. This makes it more important to understand what improvements might be needed over time.
Because the report is tailored to your home, the recommendations are relevant to you, not generic advice. It helps you quickly see what’s worth focusing on and what’s likely to have the biggest impact on warmth, efficiency and your EPC rating.
And the best part, it’s simply there to give you clearer information, so you can make decisions in your own time and with more confidence.
What is an EPC rating?
You may have come across EPCs when buying, selling or renting a property. Basically, they rate how energy efficient a property is from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) and give you a quick snapshot of how it performs.
EPC Plus takes things a step further, giving you a more detailed, personalised insight into your own home, not just a general overview.
As part of the Vibrant service, Skipton members get:
- a home visit from a qualified assessor
- an up-to-date EPC report for your home
- a view of your home’s potential rating
- tailored recommendations based on your property
- access to technical support if you’ve got any questions
- optional quotes if you want to explore any improvements.
Making sense of all the options
Every home is different, with different goals, budgets and ways of living.
At Skipton, we’re helping members make sense of what choices are out there. Michaela Wright, Group Head of Sustainability added, “We know a lot of homeowners are feeling the squeeze from rising costs and uncertainty around energy prices. And when it comes to improving your home, it’s not always obvious where to start.
“An EPC Plus report helps take away some of the guesswork, so people can make decisions that feel right for them, without pressure or confusion.
“Since launch, we’ve created more than 7,795 EPC Plus reports for our members, helping people understand how their home is performing and which changes could make the biggest difference.”
Alongside this kind of support, there are also wider initiatives being introduced to help households take action more easily. One example is the government’s Warm Homes Plan, which is designed to help lower energy bills and support the transition to more energy-efficient homes across the UK.
The plan is backed by £15bn of government investment, and aims to upgrade up to five million homes, lift one million families out of fuel poverty by 2030 and reduce carbon emissions.
A real-life example of retrofit in action
To help people get a better feel for what retrofit means in real life, we decided to try it ourselves.
We’ve got a house just across from our head office in Skipton, and we carried out a retrofit on it during Autumn 2024. It’s a 1930s detached home with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, plus a separate dining room, kitchen and lounge.
Working with colleagues across the Skipton Group and a team of industry experts, we made a range of energy efficiency improvements throughout the home. The results were pretty striking: the property’s EPC rating improved from a D to a B.
It’s a simple way of showing what retrofit looks like in practice, not just as an idea, but as real changes to a home.
A supportive place to start
While nobody can predict exactly what energy prices will do in the future, many homeowners feel more reassured knowing they’re taking positive steps towards a warmer, more energy-efficient home. For many of our members, it’s also a starting point for taking back control of their energy bills and reducing reliance on rising costs.
That’s exactly what EPC Plus has been designed for. Giving our members a practical, supportive starting point without pressure or complicated jargon.
It’s not about pushing unnecessary work or telling people what they should do with their homes. It’s about helping people understand their options, feel more informed and make decisions that feel right for them.
Whether you’re already thinking about home improvements or you’re simply curious about how energy efficient your home is today, EPC Plus offers a helpful place to begin.
*Connells Limited, part of the Skipton Group, owns Vibrant. EPC Plus is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
