Homes across the South Hams are some of the least energy efficient on the South West mainland, according to new analysis of Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) data.

The analysis, carried out by data specialists at Reveal, examined the most recent EPC certificates across England and Wales to identify areas which have the most - and least - energy-efficient homes.

It found that in the South Hams, around 32,141 properties (approximately 65 per cent of all homes) are rated between D and G for energy efficiency. That places the district at the bottom of the South West mainland rankings, surpassed only by the Isles of Scilly, where 85 per cent of homes fall into the same lower efficiency bracket.

Reveal’s findings suggest that more than half of homes in England and Wales could be paying between £1,850 and £3,950 more per year on energy bills compared to better-insulated, more efficient properties.

Estimates show that a typical three-bedroom semi-detached house with an A rating could expect annual energy bills of between £500 and £700. The same property with a G rating, however, could see costs soar to between £4,900 and £5,700 over the course of a year.

Despite government targets and years of discussion around home insulation and green upgrades, the data highlights how rare top-performing homes remain. Across the country, just 0.46 per cent of homes analysed achieved an A rating.

The South Hams’ housing stock - characterised by older, rural and often stone-built properties, is widely seen as harder and more expensive to retrofit.

For free and impartial advice from local advisers on how to reduce your energy bills and help with heating in the South Hams, visit the South Dartmoor Community Energy website.