Energy efficiency of housing

Main fuel used in central heating

The majority of houses in all North East LEP local authorities used gas as the main fuel for their central heating in 2022. Community heating schemes were more commonly used in Newcastle and Sunderland, while Northumberland was the only local authority with over 5% of houses using oil and other fuels. 

Flats and maisonettes were less likely to use gas as the main source of their heating, as were socially rented dwellings. However, over 50% of dwellings still used gas as the main source of heat in both these cases across all local authorities.

Energy efficency rating

All dwellings receive an energy efficiency rating as part of their EPC assessment. Data is published on the number of dwellings that are placed in at least band C, meaning that the dwelling is in at least the top three energy efficiency bands.

The proportion of dwellings that had at least a C grade rating in 2022 varied from 50% in North Tyneside to 41% in County Durham. The median local authority in England exlcuding London had 42% of its dwellings in at least band C in the same year.

Detached dwellings and flat and maisonettes were generally more likely to have a C grade rating in 2022, as were socially rented dwellings.

The final graph shows that at 31st March 2023, all buildings in the North East were at least rated as an F on their energy performance certificate (EPC). The lowest energy rating on buildings in England excluding London was G. Although very few buildings had G or F performance ratings (c.1%) at the North East or England excluding London level.

Across the LEP area, country, and within North East LAs, c.30% of buildings were rated as D, and most buildings were rated as C (c.40%). There was variation across the EPC ratings for LAs within the North East; County Durham was the North East LA with the highest percentage of A EPC buildings (c.1%) and Northumberland had some buildings rated G (c.1%). Northumberland also had the smallest percentage of buildings rated C, but the highest percentage rated B.

Estimated energy costs

The estimated median energy costs per dwelling in 2021 varied from £814 per year in Northumberland to £705 per year in North Tyneside. Energy costs were generally higher in detached houses and owner occupied and privately rented dwellings.

As this data is from 2021 it will not reflect the recent increases due to rising energy costs.