Prospective homeowners will be given better and clearer advice on making their new homes more eco-friendly.

Communities minister Andrew Stunell has unveiled a new-look Energy Performance Certificate to offer practical advice for improvements

The new-look Energy Performance Certificate will give homebuyers clearer information about the energy efficiency of their homes. Alongside the recommendations for improvements, the new certificates will indicate to the consumer whether they can be funded through the Green Deal.

And Domestic Energy Assessors, who compile the Energy Performance Certificates, will have undergone further training to ensure these documents are produced to a consistently high standard and assured advice is given to prospective homeowners.

Prospective buyers and tenants will also be given this energy information much earlier in the buying process, to give them time to plan how they will implement some of the recommendations included.