Compare boilers, heat pumps, and heating systems for UK homes. Running costs, government grants, sizing guides, and advice on switching from gas to renewable heating.
506 articles
A smart-grid-ready heat pump costs £200–£700 more upfront but can save £150–£380 per year on time-of-use tariffs. It automatically shifts operation to cheaper, lower-carbon periods without manual input.
Heat pump zoning in the UK costs £1,500-£3,500 for a new system or £2,000-£5,000 for a retrofit. The Energy Saving Trust reports zoning can cut heating bills by 10-20%, saving…
A heat pump with a thermal store costs £9,000–£16,000 installed, roughly £1,000–£2,000 more than a standard cylinder system. It delivers better efficiency (SCOP 3.0–3.5) and simpler pipework, but the upfront…
Pairing a heat pump with off-grid solar in the UK costs £7,000-£13,000 for an ASHP or more for a GSHP. This setup eliminates oil or LPG deliveries, with typical SCOP…
You have 14 calendar days from the day after signing to cancel a heat pump contract without penalty. This cooling-off period applies to contracts signed at home, online, or by…
A heat pump contract review costs £200-£500 and protects you from hidden fees, undersized systems, and MCS compliance failures. Without it, you risk losing the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant…
The key question to ask a heat pump installer is: 'Has my property had a full room-by-room heat-loss survey per MCS 020?' This determines eligibility for the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade…
A missing heat-loss calculation is the biggest red flag in a UK heat pump quote. Without it, the system will likely be oversized or undersized, wasting energy or leaving rooms…
A professional heat pump survey costs £150–£400 in the UK (2026). A poor survey can lead to oversized equipment wasting £200–£400 per year in extra electricity, so always insist on…
A Good Energy heat pump costs £10,000-£14,000 before grants, which is £2,500 more than a gas boiler, but saves £400-£600 yearly on bills. The extra cost is recouped in 5-10…
Aira heat pump UK subscription costs £25–£50 per month for a typical 3-bed home, with no upfront payment. The fixed fee covers installation, annual servicing and all repairs for 10–15…
EDF heat pump finance offers 0% APR for 24 months or a 7.9% APR loan up to £15,000. The 0% deal is best if you can repay within two years,…
British Gas heat pump finance offers 0% APR for 12 or 24 months, reducing your net cost to £3,000-£9,000 after the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant. Monthly payments start from…
Octopus heat pump finance offers 0% APR loans over 2-4 years with no deposit, reducing the net cost to £2,000-£5,000 after the £7,500 BUS grant. Average monthly repayments are £42-£83…
A heat pump magnetic filter costs £150–£300 fitted and can prevent £1,000+ in repairs and efficiency losses. It traps magnetite sludge that otherwise reduces heat transfer by up to 40%…
The anti-legionella cycle adds £80-£180 a year to heat pump running costs in 2026, based on a 200-litre cylinder at Ofgem's 24.5p/kWh cap. The exact cost depends on cylinder size…
A heat pump backup heater costs £500-£4,000 installed and is legally required under MCS 020 (2026). It activates during extreme cold below -3°C or during defrost cycles. This ensures your…
The UK average heat pump CoP in 2026 is 3.0, but regional figures range from 2.6 in Northern Ireland to 3.4 in the South East. This 0.8-point gap means a…
Weather compensation curves adjust flow temperature based on outdoor temperature, improving COP by up to 60% in mild conditions. For a well-insulated UK home, typical settings range from 40°C at…
Heat pump cover fencing costs £150–£700 installed in 2026 for a standard 1.8m x 1.8m slatted timber panel screen. Labour adds £80–£200, and a base pad costs £80–£200 extra if…
A heat pump for a buy-to-let costs £7,000–£13,000 after the £7,500 BUS grant, versus £2,500–£4,000 for a gas boiler. Running costs are £250–£300/year higher, but the gap is narrowing.
A heat pump can cut second home heating costs by 30-50% compared to oil or LPG. Upfront cost is £7,000-£13,000 after the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant, but the grant…
A heat pump in a new build costs £6,000-£8,000, saving £3,500-£4,500 upfront compared to a retrofit. Running costs are also lower at £200-£250 per year, but new builds are not…
A heat pump costs around £2,000 more than a gas boiler swap due to mandatory fabric upgrades under Part L 2026. The new rules require wall U-values of 0.30 W/m²K…
A new combi boiler costs between 2,000 and 3,500 pounds installed, including flue and controls. System boilers with a hot water cylinder cost 2,500 to 4,500 pounds. Prices vary by brand, output size, and complexity of the installation.
At 2026 energy prices, an air source heat pump with a COP of 3 costs roughly the same as a gas boiler to run. With electricity at 24.5p per kWh and gas at 7.2p per kWh, the heat pump produces heat at about 8.2p per kWh compared to gas at around 8p per kWh including boiler efficiency. The 7,500 pound BUS grant makes the overall economics favourable.
Yes, but older houses often need some preparation. The key requirements are adequate insulation, possibly larger radiators or underfloor heating for lower flow temperatures, and sufficient outdoor space for the external unit. A professional heat loss survey will determine what upgrades are needed.
The BUS provides 7,500 pounds towards installing an air source or ground source heat pump. Your home must have an EPC, be replacing a fossil fuel heating system, and use an MCS-certified installer. The property must be in England or Wales and you cannot have previously claimed a renewable heat incentive.
Air source heat pumps typically last 15 to 20 years, while ground source heat pumps can last 20 to 25 years. A well-maintained gas boiler lasts 10 to 15 years. Heat pumps have fewer moving parts and require less maintenance.
Air source heat pumps cost £800-£1,100 per year to run in a typical UK three-bedroom semi, comparable to a new gas boiler. With a £7,500 government grant available through the…
A hydrogen-ready boiler is a gas boiler engineered to switch to 100% hydrogen in the future with minor component changes, and in 2026 it costs roughly £100 to £300 more…
For most UK homeowners, an air source heat pump is the more practical and affordable choice, costing roughly £8,000–£15,000 installed before the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant reduces the net…
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is a UK Government grant programme administered by Ofgem that provides upfront discounts of up to £7,500 off the cost of installing a low-carbon heating system…
The best smart thermostats available in the UK can save a typical household between £75 and £150 per year on heating bills, according to Energy Saving Trust guidance, with top-rated…
A new boiler installed in the UK in 2026 costs between £1,500 and £4,500 all in, covering the boiler unit, labour, and standard fitting materials. A simple like-for-like combi boiler…
