Heat Pumps UK 2026 — Complete Independent Guide to Costs, Grants, Brands and Running Costs
Heat pumps are the single most important home-energy decision UK households are making in 2026. With the Warm Homes Plan funding £15 billion of retrofit, BUS rising to £9,000 for oil/LPG homes in July, and an air-to-air option newly available — the economics changed faster in the first half of 2026 than in the prior three years. This guide gives you the version we'd give a friend.
We're independent. We don't install heat pumps, broker contracts, or take referral commission that affects which brands we recommend. The numbers below come from primary sources — Ofgem, DESNZ, Energy Saving Trust field trials, the Heat Pump Federation, MCS — and we update them monthly.
What is a heat pump?
A heat pump is an electrically-powered heating system that moves heat from outside the house into it — rather than generating heat by burning fuel. The same technology that runs your fridge in reverse: a refrigerant cycle absorbs low-grade heat from the outdoor air (or ground, or water) and concentrates it to a temperature useful for heating your home and your hot water.
The economically important property is that for every 1 kWh of electricity it uses, a heat pump typically delivers 2.5–4.0 kWh of heat. A gas boiler, by contrast, delivers roughly 0.85–0.92 kWh of heat per 1 kWh of gas burned. That's the entire case for heat pumps — they're more efficient than the boilers they replace by a factor of 3–4×, so even at electricity prices that look high vs gas, the kWh-of-heat math comes out favourably.
For a step-by-step explanation of the refrigerant cycle, see how heat pumps actually work. For the running cost maths against your existing fuel, use our running cost calculator.
The four types of heat pump
Air source heat pump (ASHP) — 95% of UK installs
The outdoor unit looks like an air-conditioning condenser and sits against an external wall. It pulls heat from outside air down to about −15°C — colder than mainland UK gets in most winters. Indoor connections go to a hot-water cylinder (typically 250–300 litres) and your existing radiators. Most UK homes need 2–4 radiators replaced for the lower flow temperatures heat pumps prefer (35–55°C vs 65–75°C for gas boilers).
Typical installed cost (pre-grant): £10,000–£15,000. Post-BUS: £2,500–£7,500.
Ground source heat pump (GSHP) — premium
Heat is drawn from a buried pipe loop. Two configurations: trenches (cheaper, needs ~100m of garden) or boreholes (more expensive, but viable on smaller plots). Ground temperatures are more stable than air (~10°C year-round), giving GSHPs higher SCOPs (4.0–4.5 in well-installed systems) than ASHPs.
Typical installed cost: £20,000–£28,000 (trench) or £25,000–£35,000+ (borehole). Post-BUS: £12,500–£27,500+. Payback only stacks if you'll stay 15+ years and have the space.
Air-to-air heat pump — £2,500 BUS grant (live since 28 April 2026)
Same air-source principle, but instead of heating water in radiators, it blows warm (or cool) air directly into the room via wall-mounted indoor units. Looks and works like split-system air conditioning, because that's essentially what it is.
The April 2026 addition of air-to-air to BUS was the most significant scheme change since BUS launched in 2022. It opens heat pumps to flats (no cylinder space), well-insulated bungalows, and households who want cooling as well as heating. Note: there's no domestic hot water from air-to-air — you'll need a separate immersion or hot-water heat pump.
Typical installed cost: £4,000–£8,000. Post-BUS: £1,500–£5,500.
Hybrid heat pump — interesting, but not BUS-eligible
Heat pump + existing gas boiler combination. The pump handles most of the year; the boiler covers the coldest days when heat pump efficiency drops. This is the obvious "lower risk" choice for many UK homes, but the BUS doesn't fund hybrids — making it economically inferior to a full heat pump for grant-eligible households.
Hybrids make sense in large, poorly-insulated houses where full conversion to heat pump would mean oversized radiators throughout, or where staged transition is preferred.
Real 2026 costs — before and after the BUS grant
| Type | Pre-grant cost | BUS grant | Net cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air source (ASHP) | £10,000–£15,000 | £7,500 (£9,000 oil/LPG from July 2026) | £2,500–£7,500 |
| Ground source (GSHP), trenches | £20,000–£28,000 | £7,500 (£9,000 oil/LPG) | £12,500–£20,500 |
| Ground source, borehole | £25,000–£35,000+ | £7,500 (£9,000 oil/LPG) | £17,500–£27,500+ |
| Air-to-air | £4,000–£8,000 | £2,500 (live 28 April 2026) | £1,500–£5,500 |
| Hybrid (gas boiler + heat pump) | £9,000–£15,000 | Not eligible | £9,000–£15,000 |
Full breakdown by component, what's typically included, and which costs sneak in late: see our heat pump cost UK 2026 page.
The BUS scheme isn't means-tested. It's open to all owner-occupiers and small landlords. If your household income is under £36,000 and your EPC is D or below, you may also qualify for the Warm Homes: Local Grant (up to £30,000) which can fund the rest of a heat-pump-ready insulation upgrade. See the stacking rules for what combines and what doesn't.
What will a heat pump actually cost you to run? Our calculator compares running cost vs your current gas, oil, LPG or electric heating across multiple tariffs.
Try the calculator →Running costs — the maths that actually matters
The Energy Saving Trust ran a field trial of 742 UK heat pump installations and reported the SCOP (Seasonal Coefficient of Performance — the real-world annual efficiency) distribution in 2024:
- Average SCOP across 742 homes: 2.9
- Well-insulated homes: 3.4
- Bottom-quartile (poorly insulated, oversized, bad install): 2.3
Running cost translation, at Ofgem Q2 2026 prices (gas 6.3p/kWh, electricity 24.5p/kWh):
| Heating system | Cost per kWh of heat (Ofgem cap) | Cost per kWh of heat (smart tariff) |
|---|---|---|
| Gas boiler (90% efficient) | 7.0p | n/a |
| Heat pump at SCOP 2.3 (bottom quartile) | 10.7p | ~6.5p (Cosy) |
| Heat pump at SCOP 2.9 (UK average) | 8.4p | ~5.1p (Cosy) |
| Heat pump at SCOP 3.4 (well-insulated) | 7.2p | ~4.4p (Cosy) |
| Heat pump at SCOP 4.0 (ground source, well-tuned) | 6.1p | ~3.7p (Cosy) |
The "smart tariff" column assumes Cosy Octopus where ~40% of heat pump consumption falls in the cheap windows (14.53p/kWh) and the rest at the day rate. That's achievable for most heat pumps with weather-compensation curves tuned correctly.
What this means practically:
- On the standard cap, a UK-average-SCOP heat pump costs about the same per kWh of heat as gas — slight win in efficient homes, slight loss in inefficient ones.
- On a heat pump tariff (Cosy, EDF Tracker), a heat pump beats gas by 20–40% per kWh of heat in real households.
- You'll also save the gas standing charge (~£117/year) if you disconnect from gas.
See our heat pump tariff comparison for current Cosy / EDF Tracker / British Gas economics.
Is your home suitable?
Yes, with normal effort
- 1980s–2010s semi-detached or detached homes with cavity walls.
- New builds (post-2010).
- Any home with at least decent loft and cavity wall insulation.
- Outdoor space ~1m clear from the unit, not against bedroom walls (for noise).
Yes, but plan for insulation work first
- Victorian / Edwardian solid-wall homes. Heat pumps work, but only if you've improved wall insulation. Otherwise expect SCOPs of 2.3 and high running costs. See our Victorian house guide.
- 1930s–1970s semis with un-insulated cavities — easy to fix, often free under ECO4 (until December 2026) or the Warm Homes: Local Grant.
- Bungalows with single-glazed windows.
Awkward but possible
- Flats and apartments — usually need air-to-air (£2,500 BUS) rather than air-to-water. External unit location often needs freeholder consent.
- Listed buildings — external unit needs listed building consent. Air-to-air or carefully-sited GSHP often works.
- Combi boiler homes with no airing cupboard — adding a hot water cylinder takes space. Air-to-air avoids this.
The brands actually selling in the UK
Eight manufacturers dominate the UK heat pump market. Our brand notes are based on installer feedback, Trustpilot data, and reported real-world SCOPs:
| Brand | Notable for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Mitsubishi Ecodan | Largest UK installed base; quietest (45 dB(A)); output to −15°C | Premium price; some installers default to it without checking alternatives |
| Vaillant aroTHERM Plus | R290 refrigerant, flow to 75°C — best retrofit choice; SCOP up to 4.0 | Higher flow temp tempts installers to leave radiators undersized — push for proper sizing |
| Daikin Altherma 3 | Operates to −28°C (rare to matter in UK); inverter compressor reliability | App ecosystem less polished than rivals |
| Samsung EHS Mono Gen7 | Cheapest hardware; 2024–26 units much improved over earlier reputation | Older Samsung units had failure issues; ask about the specific model year |
| Grant Aerona3 | Irish-designed for UK/Irish climate; 7-year warranty (longest) | Smaller installer network outside the Republic of Ireland and rural England |
| Worcester Bosch Compress 5800i | Compact; familiar boiler-brand support network | Slightly more expensive than rivals for similar specs |
| Octopus Cosy 6 | Built on Daikin platform; ~£500 average net cost via Octopus subsidy + BUS | Tied to Octopus installation channel |
The single most important rule when choosing a brand: pick the brand your installer is genuinely expert at, not the brand with the best marketing. A Vaillant install by a Vaillant specialist will beat a Mitsubishi install by a generalist every time.
How to choose an installer
The installer matters more than the brand. A badly-sized or badly-tuned heat pump returns SCOPs of 2.3 instead of 3.5 — a 50% real-world running cost difference. Things to insist on:
- Full MCS HP-001 heat-loss survey. Room-by-room calculation, not "rule of thumb." Walk away from any installer who quotes without doing this.
- Insurance-backed workmanship warranty. Not just the manufacturer's product warranty. If the installer ceases trading, you need cover.
- Quoted SCOP figure and projected annual electricity consumption in kWh. Installers who can't give these numbers don't understand their own design.
- Specifics on which radiators need replacing. "We'll see on the day" is the wrong answer.
- Heat Geek or Nesta-listed quality status. These third-party quality marks sit above MCS in real-world rigour.
- References for installs they've done in similar properties. Ideally ones you can call.
The MCS find an installer tool lists certified installers; the Heat Geek directory lists the quality tier within that.
Should you wait or act now?
Wait if…
- You're on oil or LPG. The BUS grant rises to £9,000 from July 2026. Two months of delay is worth £1,500.
- Your insulation is poor. Heat pump first, insulate second is the most common reason UK households end up disappointed. Insulate first — claim ECO4 (until Dec 2026) or WHLG if eligible — then heat-pump.
- You don't have a smart tariff yet. Heat pump on standard cap is meh. On Cosy or EDF Tracker it's a clear win. Get the tariff set up first.
Don't wait if…
- Your boiler is breaking down. A broken boiler in winter is expensive. Act on the timeline that's right for your household.
- You're approaching the 0% VAT deadline. 0% VAT runs to 31 March 2027, then reverts to 5%. On a £12,000 install, that's £600 saved.
- You're considering air-to-air. The £2,500 BUS air-to-air option is live now (since 28 April 2026). There's a potential further uplift to £7,500 under DESNZ consultation, but no confirmed timeline.
Explore more
- How heat pumps actually work — the refrigerant cycle explained, why "300% efficient" isn't magic.
- Heat pump cost UK 2026 — full cost breakdown, hidden extras, financing options.
- Heat pump vs gas boiler — total cost of ownership, lifetime carbon, who wins in your home.
- Heat pump running cost calculator — your actual maths.
- Boiler Upgrade Scheme deep dive — including the July 2026 £9,000 uplift mechanics.
- Best heat pump tariffs after OVO's closure — Cosy vs EDF Tracker vs British Gas.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a heat pump cost in the UK in 2026?
£10,000–£15,000 installed before the BUS grant for a typical air source heat pump. After the £7,500 BUS deduction, that becomes £2,500–£7,500. Oil/LPG households can wait until July 2026 for a £9,000 BUS rate, bringing the net cost down further.
Will a heat pump work in my old house?
Yes, but only if you've improved insulation first. A heat pump in a poorly-insulated Victorian terrace returns SCOPs of 2.3, meaning real-world running costs ~50% higher than advertised. Insulate first, heat-pump second.
Are heat pumps cheaper to run than gas?
Yes, on a heat pump tariff. The right tariff (Cosy Octopus, EDF Heat Pump Tracker) makes a typical UK heat pump cost £200–£400/year less than a gas boiler delivering the same heat. On the standard cap, heat pumps are roughly even with gas in efficient homes, slightly worse in inefficient ones.
Do heat pumps work in winter?
Yes. Modern heat pumps deliver full output down to −15°C (Mitsubishi, Vaillant) or −28°C (Daikin) — temperatures the UK essentially never reaches. The "heat pumps don't work in cold weather" myth is from US/Canadian experience or 1990s technology.
Can I get a heat pump in a flat?
Yes, via the air-to-air variant of BUS — £2,500 grant, live since 28 April 2026. The classical air-to-water heat pump usually doesn't fit flats (no cylinder space, no external unit clearance).
What's the difference between SCOP and COP?
COP is the heat pump's efficiency at one specific operating condition (typically a fixed flow temperature and outdoor temperature). SCOP is the annual real-world efficiency, weighted across UK climate variation. SCOP is what matters for your bill. Anything an installer quotes should be SCOP, not COP.
Will my radiators need changing?
Most likely 2–4 of them. Heat pumps prefer flow temperatures of 35–55°C; gas boilers ran at 65–75°C. Existing radiators sized for the higher flow temperature will be undersized for the lower one. A good MCS HP-001 survey identifies which radiators need replacing.
What's the noise like?
Modern heat pumps run at 40–50 dB(A) at 1m — quieter than a fridge. Mitsubishi Ecodan is the quietest at 45 dB(A). They're audible at close range but rarely audible from a neighbour's bedroom unless installed against a shared wall.
Sources
- Boiler Upgrade Scheme — Energy Saving Trust
- BUS guidance — Ofgem
- In-depth guide to heat pumps — EST
- Heat Geek — installer quality + heat pump education
- Four years of BUS in four charts — Nesta
Page changelog
- 19 May 2026 — Initial publication. Reflects April 2026 BUS amendments (£2,500 air-to-air live, £9,000 oil/LPG uplift from July 2026 confirmed pending final Ofgem v5 installer guidance), April 2026 EPC requirement scrapped, Q2 2026 cap of £1,641, and the Energy Saving Trust 742-home field trial SCOP averages.
See what a heat pump would cost you
The calculator runs against your actual heating fuel use and shows annual cost on the standard cap and on Cosy / EDF Heat Pump Tracker / British Gas tariffs.
Try the running cost calculator →