Fewer than 2,000 certified heat pump installers operate across the whole of the UK. That is one installer for every 14,000 homes. This is the bottleneck that has stalled the country’s retrofit programme for years, and it is about to get a serious injection of manpower.
Roofing Today reports that a new partnership between the National Retrofit Hub, the Construction Industry Training Board, and 15 local authorities will train 10,000 retrofit installers by 2027. The scheme focuses on heat pumps, insulation, solar PV, and airtightness, the four pillars of a modern eco-home upgrade. Read the full story on Roofing Today.
Why this matters to your energy bill
The skills shortage directly affects homeowners. A typical 3-bed semi in Manchester waits eight months for a heat pump quote. Insulation installers charge 30% more in London than in Leeds, because there are not enough certified teams to meet demand. Ofgem figures show that only 55,000 heat pumps were installed under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in 2023, against a government target of 600,000 per year by 2028. This gap is a direct cost to homeowners who cannot get the work done.
The new partnership targets 10,000 trained installers across England, Scotland, and Wales. If it succeeds, and that is a big if, it would roughly double the current workforce in heat pumps and insulation within four years. For a homeowner, that means competition among installers, which historically brings prices down. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that installation labour accounts for 40–50% of a heat pump’s total cost. More installers means lower quotes.
Who qualifies, and who doesn’t
The partnership is not a free-for-all. It prioritises trainees from social housing providers, local authority retrofit programmes, and small construction firms that commit to delivering a minimum number of installations per year. That is sensible targeting. The worst outcome would be 10,000 newly qualified installers with no work to do because the housing stock is not ready.
But the scheme has a blind spot. It does not include training for retrofit assessors, the people who survey a home and produce the EPC improvement plan that tells you which upgrades to do first. Without assessors, homeowners cannot access most government grants, including the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and the Great British Insulation Scheme. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero confirmed to Axiom last month that there are only 1,200 accredited retrofit assessors in the UK. That is one for every 25,000 homes. The partnership should have included them.
What this means for your EPC target
The government wants every home in England and Wales to reach EPC band C by 2035. That is 19 million properties that need at least one major retrofit, loft insulation, cavity wall fill, double glazing, or a heat pump. At current installation rates, that target is mathematically impossible. The new partnership, if fully delivered, would increase annual retrofit capacity by roughly 15%. That is progress, but it is not enough.
For homeowners, the practical takeaway is this: do not wait for the installer shortage to fix itself. Book a retrofit assessment now, even if you are not ready to start work. The assessment itself costs £200–£400 and gives you a clear roadmap. When the 10,000 new installers arrive in 2027, you want to be at the front of the queue, not the back.
Households in England can apply for a retrofit assessment through the Energy Saving Trust’s local authority referral service. Eligibility for grant-funded work depends on your EPC rating and household income. The scheme opens for new applications on 1 April 2025. Do not wait until the summer, the good installers will be booked solid by then.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, likely. Installation labour accounts for 40-50% of heat pump costs. Doubling the installer workforce should increase competition and reduce quotes, though equipment and grid connection costs may remain stable.
No. Book a retrofit assessment now. It costs £200-£400 and gives you a clear upgrade plan. When the new installers arrive in 2027, you will be at the front of the queue for grant-funded work.
