Search for Energy Performance Certificates by postcode.
AI agents call search_epc_by_postcode to retrieve information from GovUK MCP Server without modifying anything — typically the context-gathering step in research, monitoring, and reporting workflows, before the agent takes action elsewhere.
This tool retrieves publicly available Energy Performance Certificate data based on a postcode input. It has no side effects, does not modify data, and does not execute arbitrary code or delete anything. It is a straightforward data lookup query, consistent with other read-only tools on this server like 'find_courts', 'find_hospitals', and 'get_company'.
From the tool's definition Tool name contains 'search' and description states 'Search for Energy Performance Certificates by postcode' — a query operation that retrieves public energy performance data without modifying anything.
Attacks that exploit this kind of access
Search for Energy Performance Certificates by postcode. It is categorised as a Read tool in the GovUK MCP Server MCP Server, which means it retrieves data without modifying state.
Register the GovUK MCP Server MCP server in PolicyLayer and add a rule for search_epc_by_postcode: allow, deny, rate-limit, or require approval. Point your MCP client at the PolicyLayer proxy URL and the rule is enforced on every call, before it reaches GovUK MCP Server. Nothing to install.
search_epc_by_postcode is a Read tool with low risk. Read-only tools are generally safe to allow by default.
Yes. Add a rate_limit block to the search_epc_by_postcode rule in your PolicyLayer policy. For example, setting max: 10 and window: 60 limits the tool to 10 calls per minute. Rate limits are tracked per agent session and reset automatically.
Set action: deny in the PolicyLayer policy for search_epc_by_postcode. The AI agent will receive a policy violation error and cannot call the tool. You can also include a reason field to explain why the tool is blocked.
search_epc_by_postcode is provided by the GovUK MCP Server MCP server (stealth-labs-ltd/govuk-mcp). PolicyLayer sits as a proxy in front of this server to enforce policies before tool calls reach the server.
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