Three boroughs in East Lancashire have ranked among the top five areas in the country for having the lowest number of energy-efficient homes.

The new research has revealed the England areas with the least energy-efficient homes, with Pendle, Burnley and Hyndburn among the worst places in the country.

The study, by Enviro Homes Renewables, studied the latest data from the Office for National Statistics, which showed the percentage of homes in each local authority with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of Band ‘C’ or above.

The borough's large stocks of old, terraced housing often lack energy-saving tools which make heating systems more efficient, such as loft and wall insulation, airtight windows, and more.

Topping the list was the Isles of Scilly, located off the Cornish coast, has the lowest number of energy-efficient homes in England.

The data studied showed that in 2022, just 14.1 per cent of homes in the area had an EPC band ‘C’ or above, the lowest in England by nearly 10 percentage points.

Pendle was ranked second on the list, with only 21.8 per cent of homes being graded an EPC Band ‘C’ or above.

Burnley ranked fourth, with only 25.1 per cent of homes having an EPC rating of 'C' or better, while Hyndburn placed fifth with 25.4 per cent of homes having a 'C' or above.

It means almost four in five homes in Pendle have poor energy efficiency - costing residents more in heating bills and having a detrimental impact on the environment, while in Burnley and Hyndburn the number is just under three out of four homes.

Castle Point in Essex ranked third, with other areas in the top 10 including Blackpool, Bradford, and Barrow-in-Furness.

On the findings, , Ross Jones, director of Enviro Homes Renewables, said: “While there are many ways you can save money on energy for your home, having a low energy efficiency rating can make this very difficult from the start, and costs will add up, and with the current cost of living this can be a serious problem.

"However, if you live in one of these areas, you can improve your EPC rating by installing insulation, changing your lighting, replacing your boiler, and more.”

At the other end of the scale, six of the 10 areas with the most energy-efficient homes are found in London, with the top borough being Tower Hamlets, where 76.1 per cent of properties have an EPC rating of 'C' or better.

The only area outside the south to make the top 10 is Salford, in fourth, on 62 per cent.