No. There is no ban on owning or using a wood burning stove in England, and the Government has said stoves will remain allowed as secondary heating in new homes. What does exist are rules on which stoves can be sold, what you can burn in smoke control areas and how wood is sold.
New stoves must meet Ecodesign limits (since 1 January 2022); in a smoke control area you may only burn wood in an exempt stove, with penalties of up to £300 for smoky chimneys; and wood sold in loads under 2 cubic metres must be certified Ready to Burn. A UK-wide consultation in early 2026 proposed tougher limits for new stoves sold in future, not for stoves already installed. Here is each rule in plain English.
The short version
| Question | Answer (England, October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Can I still use my wood burner? | Yes |
| Can I still buy and install a new one? | Yes, if it meets Ecodesign, installed to Building Regulations |
| Can I burn wood in a smoke control area? | Only in a stove exempt for smoke control areas |
| Can I buy wet logs? | Not in bags or loads under 2 cubic metres: they must be Ready to Burn |
| Can I still use an open fire? | Yes; in a smoke control area, with authorised smokeless fuel only |
| Are new rules coming? | Proposed: tougher limits and labels for new stoves; no ban on existing ones |
1. Ecodesign: the standard for every new stove
Since 1 January 2022, solid fuel room heaters placed on the market in Great Britain must meet Ecodesign requirements. For a closed stove burning wood, HETAS sets out the limits as particulate emissions of 40mg/m³, carbon monoxide 1,500mg/m³, nitrogen oxides 200mg/m³ and organic gaseous carbon 120mg/m³, with a minimum seasonal efficiency of 65%.
New stoves also carry an energy label showing their efficiency class; the Opus Melody LS, for example, is class A. When you compare stoves, look for the Ecodesign status and, if you live in a smoke control area, the exemption on the product page.
Ecodesign applies to stoves being sold new; it does not require you to replace a stove you already have. Browse our Ecodesign stoves.
2. Smoke control areas
Many parts of England are smoke control areas. In them:
- No smoke from chimneys. Smoke must not be released from a chimney.
- Authorised fuels anywhere. You can burn authorised smokeless fuels, such as anthracite, in any appliance.
- Wood only in exempt stoves. Wood is an unauthorised fuel, so you can only burn it in an exempt appliance (a stove on Defra's exempt list), using the fuels its manufacturer specifies.
- Penalties. In England, a chimney releasing smoke can bring a civil penalty of £175 to £300, and buying unauthorised fuel for use in an appliance that is not Defra approved can bring a fine of up to £1,000.
Outdoor barbecues, chimineas, fireplaces and pizza ovens are allowed in smoke control areas; our fire pit buying guide covers outdoor fires. A building with a roof-mounted chimney, such as a summerhouse with a stove, follows the indoor rules. Check your address on Defra's smoke control area map or with your council.
Outside smoke control areas, smoke from a chimney can still be investigated by the council as a statutory nuisance if it is harmful to health or a nuisance. That applies everywhere in England.
See all our stoves for smoke control areas.
3. What fuel can be sold
Under the Air Quality (Domestic Solid Fuels Standards) (England) Regulations 2020:
- Small loads of wood sold in volumes under 2 cubic metres must be certified Ready to Burn, confirming 20% moisture or less.
- Larger loads of 2 cubic metres or more can be wet, but must come with a notice explaining how to dry, store and check the wood.
- House coal can no longer be sold for domestic burning; the last window for approved coal merchants selling loose coal ended on 30 April 2023.
- Manufactured solid fuels must contain less than 2% sulphur, emit less than 5g of smoke per hour in testing and carry the Ready to Burn logo.
These rules apply to sellers. For you, the practical point is to burn dry wood, which also burns hotter and cleaner. See our firewood guide.
4. The 2026 consultation: what is proposed
On 22 January 2026 the UK Government and the devolved administrations launched a consultation on solid fuel burning, which closed on 19 March 2026. The consultation document proposed:
- Tougher smoke limits for new stoves. A cut from the current 5g of smoke per hour (plus 0.1g per 0.3kW of output) to 1g per hour plus the same allowance, for new closed and open-fronted solid fuel heaters, coming into force 3 to 5 years after new legislation is made.
- Mandatory labels on new stoves, with an A to C rating for how polluting the appliance is, the fuels it may burn and a health statement, plus health labelling on fuel.
- Higher penalties, including raising the penalty for fuel suppliers who break the rules from £300 to up to £2,000.
The consultation cites industry testing suggesting that about 70% of stoves tested since 2018 would already meet the proposed limit. The document says appliances already installed, or already placed on the market before the new law, would not be affected. The stove limit and labels are proposed for Great Britain. As of October 2026 the Government was still analysing the responses and had not published its decision; check the consultation page on GOV.UK for updates.
What it means for you. If you already have a stove, nothing changes under these proposals. If you are buying, an Ecodesign stove, ideally exempt for smoke control areas, is a far cleaner choice than an older stove.
5. New homes
The Government has said a wood-burning stove will be permitted as a secondary heating source in new homes under the Future Homes Standard. A stove in a new build still needs a suitable flue and, in an airtight home, an air supply; see our guide to installing a wood burner without a chimney.
6. The wider picture
The Environment Act 2021 led to a legally binding target for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in England: an annual mean of 10 micrograms per cubic metre by 2040. Domestic burning is one of the sources the Government is targeting. That is why the direction of travel is cleaner stoves, drier fuel and better enforcement, rather than removing stoves from homes. How you burn matters as much as what you burn: a modern stove run hot on dry wood produces far less smoke than an old stove smouldering on wet logs.
Burning cleanly with the stove you have
- Dry wood only. Under 20% moisture, tested on a freshly split face.
- Light hot. Use the top-down method with the air controls open, so the flue warms quickly.
- Do not smoulder. Never shut the air right down to make a load last overnight.
- Little and often. Small loads on a bed of embers burn cleaner than a packed firebox.
- Look at the chimney. Once the stove is up to temperature you should see little more than a heat haze.
Our lighting guide shows the method step by step.
What this means if you are buying a stove now
- Buy an Ecodesign stove sized for your room; see what size stove do I need?
- Check your smoke control status. If you are in a smoke control area and want to burn wood, choose an exempt model.
- Use a HETAS registered installer, who will fit the carbon monoxide alarm Building Regulations require.
- Burn dry wood under 20% moisture, and keep the chimney swept.
This guide covers England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules on smoke control and fuel.
Common questions
Are wood burners being banned in the UK?
No. There is no ban on owning or using a wood burner in England, and in Scotland wood burners have been allowed in new homes since 1 January 2025. New stoves must meet Ecodesign, smoke control rules limit what you can burn in some areas, and proposals published in 2026 would tighten limits for new stoves sold in future.
Will I have to remove my existing wood burner?
No. Ecodesign applies to new stoves, and the 2026 consultation document says appliances already installed would not be affected by the proposed limits.
Can I use a wood burner in a smoke control area?
Yes, if it is an exempt appliance on Defra's list and you burn the fuels its manufacturer specifies. Non-exempt stoves can only burn authorised smokeless fuels.
What is a Defra exempt stove?
A stove that has been tested and approved to burn an unauthorised fuel, usually wood, in a smoke control area without producing too much smoke. It must be used with the fuels and settings its manufacturer specifies.
What is the fine for smoke from a chimney?
In England, a chimney releasing smoke in a smoke control area can bring a civil penalty of £175 to £300. Buying unauthorised fuel for an appliance that is not Defra approved can bring a fine of up to £1,000.
Is it illegal to sell wet wood?
In England, wood sold in volumes under 2 cubic metres must be certified Ready to Burn, meaning 20% moisture or less. Larger loads can be wet but must come with drying advice.
Can I still use an open fire?
Yes. In a smoke control area an open fire can only burn authorised smokeless fuels, such as anthracite. Outside smoke control areas there is no ban, though smoke can still be a statutory nuisance.
Are wood burners allowed in new builds?
Yes. The Government has said a wood-burning stove will be permitted as a secondary heating source in new homes under the Future Homes Standard.
Will my existing stove need one of the new labels?
No. The proposed labels are for new stoves placed on the market after the new rules come in. The consultation document says appliances already in homes or in shops would not be affected.
Do these rules apply in Wales and Scotland?
Ecodesign applies across Great Britain. Smoke control rules, penalties and fuel sales rules differ between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, so check with your council if you live outside England.
Buy a stove that suits the rules
Our smoke control range is made up of stoves approved to burn wood in smoke control areas in England. Not sure if you live in one, or which stove fits? Ask us.
