Gas connections
New gas connections, and straight advice on whether you need one
New gas services and mains for homes, developments and commercial buildings, plus load increases and service alterations. We check whether gas still belongs in your design, apply to the right gas network and manage the job through to a live supply.
Does your project still need a gas supply?
For decades a new home meant a gas connection for the boiler and the hob. That is changing. In England, the Future Homes Standard sets energy targets that new homes are expected to meet with a heat pump, not a gas boiler. Homes built to it won't need a gas connection for heating.
Gas hasn't gone away, though. Homes that can still be built to the 2021 rules, extensions and conversions of existing buildings, commercial kitchens, process plant and many other buildings still need new or larger gas supplies. The question is which rules apply to your site, and it is worth answering before you pay for a gas main that some plots may never use.
We answer that first. Then we prepare the application, deal with the gas network, ask accredited independent providers to quote where the work is open to competition, and manage it through to the day your gas supplier can fit the meter.
We handle gas applications for
- New domestic gas services
- Gas mains for housing developments on the 2021 rules
- Self-builds and replacement homes
- Conversions and flats
- Commercial and industrial supplies
- Load increases on existing supplies
- Service alterations and meter moves
- Disconnections before demolition
The Future Homes Standard and gas, in plain terms
The new standard was published on 24 March 2026 and is not in force yet. These are the dates that decide whether a new home in England can still be heated by gas.
- 1
Standard published
The amending regulations and the 2026 Approved Documents L and F were published. Nothing changed on site that day.
- 2
In force in England
New homes must meet the new standard unless the transitional rules apply. The targets are based on a home heated by a heat pump, with solar panels.
- 3
Higher-risk buildings
Higher-risk buildings have their own date. A valid Gateway 2 application made before it keeps the 2021 rules.
- 4
Transition closes
A building can be finished to the 2021 rules only if notice was given before 24 March 2027 and work on that building started before 24 March 2028.
It is not a ban on gas boilers
The regulations don't name or ban gas boilers. But the targets are set from a heat pump home, and in practice a gas boiler isn't expected to meet them. The government's own impact assessment says homes built to the standard no longer need a gas connection.
What it means for your site
- Transition is building by building. It is not site-wide. On a phased site, plots started late may fall under the new rules even if the first phase used gas.
- Stopgap heating doesn't count. Temporary gas or oil heating while you wait for a heat network won't make a home comply.
- Cooking isn't addressed directly. The standard is about heating and energy use. Check the cost before planning a gas main for hobs alone.
- Wales and Scotland have their own rules. Wales has a new Part L coming into force on 4 March 2027. We check the rules for your site rather than assume.
- All-electric homes need more power. Plan the larger electricity supply in the same application round. Electricity connections.
Gas network, IGT or UIP: who builds your connection?
Like electricity, much of the gas connection work is contestable. That means accredited independent companies can quote for it as well as the gas network for your area.
Gas distribution network
Great Britain has eight gas distribution networks, run by four companies. The network for your area owns the mains in the street and quotes for connections to them.
Independent gas transporter
A licensed company that owns and runs the gas network on a new site, connected to the regional network. Common on housing developments.
Utility infrastructure provider
A contractor accredited under the Gas Industry Registration Scheme (GIRS), run by LRQA. It can build contestable work, such as mains and services up to 7 bar, for adoption.
Which gas network covers your site?
The regional network depends on where you are building. We confirm it from the site address.
| Network company | Areas covered |
|---|---|
| Cadent | North West, West Midlands, East of England and North London |
| Northern Gas Networks | North East, Yorkshire and northern Cumbria |
| SGN | Scotland and southern England |
| Wales & West Utilities | Wales and the South West |
How we handle your gas application
You deal with us. We deal with the gas network, any independent providers and the paperwork.
Rules and load checked
We confirm whether gas fits the design, which network covers the site and the gas load for each home or unit.
Application submitted
We send the application with the planning permission, site plans and meter positions the network asks for.
Quotes compared
We get the network's quote and, where it helps, quotes from GIRS-accredited providers, then compare scope, exclusions and dates.
Acceptance to live gas
We handle acceptance and payment, line up the works, and tell you when to appoint a gas supplier to fit the meter.
Quote times under the gas networks' guaranteed standards, as published by SGN for 2025/26, from a complete application:
After that, Cadent says its works typically take 6 to 8 weeks from payment, subject to survey and highway permits. No network publishes typical lead times for large housing sites; these are quoted case by case.
Information for a gas application
Send what you have. We'll tell you what is missing and help you pull the rest together.
- Site address and a location plan
- Approved planning permission
- Site layout with plot numbers and meter positions
- Gas appliances and load for each home or unit
- Building notice or full plans dates, and planned start dates for each building
- Details of any existing gas supply on site
- When you need gas, and any phasing
What affects the price of a gas connection
The gas network or independent provider sets the connection price. The main factors are the distance to a suitable main, the pressure and size of that main, your load, whether a new main has to be laid, and how much road or footpath has to be opened.
Quotes are time-limited. Cadent, for example, asks for quotes to be accepted and paid within 90 days, so we time the application to your programme.
Our own fee for managing the application is agreed and fixed before we start.
Don't pay for gas you won't use
Responses to the government's consultation warned of sites left with oversized gas networks as the rules change. We make sure the application covers only the plots that will actually use gas.
Gas connection questions
Do new homes still need a gas connection?
In England, homes built to the Future Homes Standard won't need a gas connection for heating, because its targets are based on a heat pump. Homes that qualify for the transitional rules can still be built to the 2021 standard, which allows gas heating. We check which applies to each building.
When does the Future Homes Standard come into force?
On 24 March 2027 in England. It was published on 24 March 2026. Higher-risk buildings follow a later date of 24 September 2027.
Are gas boilers banned in new homes?
No. The regulations don't name or ban gas boilers. The targets are set from a heat pump home, so in practice a gas boiler isn't expected to meet them.
Can my site still be built with gas under the old rules?
Possibly. A building can be completed to the 2021 rules if notice was given before 24 March 2027 and work on that building starts before 24 March 2028. It applies building by building, so late plots on a phased site may not qualify.
How long does a new gas connection take?
Gas networks must issue a standard quote within a few working days of a complete application. Cadent says works typically take 6 to 8 weeks from payment, subject to survey and permits. Larger sites are quoted case by case.
How long is a gas connection quote valid?
The period is stated in the quote. Cadent, for example, asks for quotes to be accepted and paid within 90 days. We time applications so the offer is still valid when you are ready.
Can someone other than the gas network do the work?
Yes, for contestable work. GIRS-accredited providers can lay mains and services for adoption by the network. We compare their quotes with the network's where it is worth doing.
Who fits the gas meter?
Your gas supplier arranges the meter once the service is in. We tell you when to contact them so it doesn't hold up completion.
Does the Future Homes Standard apply in Wales and Scotland?
No, it applies in England. Wales has its own Part L, coming into force on 4 March 2027, and Scotland has its own building standards. We check the rules for your site before applying.
Need a gas supply, or not sure you do?
Send us the site details. We'll check which rules apply, confirm the gas network and send a clear quote for managing the application.