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There is no universal cost winner. An air-source heat pump normally costs more to install than replacing a boiler, but grants can reduce the amount you pay. Its running cost depends on your electricity tariff, gas price, standing charges, heat-pump efficiency and the quality of the system design. Some carefully modelled homes show a small heat-pump saving; other models show almost identical bills or a small increase.
For a sound decision, compare grant-adjusted installation quotes and a home-specific annual-cost calculation. Do not rely on a headline efficiency rating, a generic payback claim or an old example tariff.
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What is being compared?
An air-source heat pump extracts low-temperature heat from outdoor air and raises it to a temperature suitable for your central-heating and hot-water system. It moves heat rather than creating it by burning fuel. A gas boiler burns gas to heat water, which then circulates through radiators or underfloor heating.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsAir-source units are the most common domestic heat-pump type in the UK and are suitable for most home types, provided the system is correctly sized and designed. A heat pump can supply radiators and domestic hot water, usually through a hot-water cylinder. Some radiators may need replacing or enlarging so that the home can stay warm at the lower flow temperatures a heat pump normally uses. The amount of work varies by property.
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Both systems should be compared by the useful heat they deliver to your rooms and hot-water cylinder, not by the appliance’s headline rating alone. A boiler’s seasonal efficiency, a heat pump’s seasonal performance factor (SPF) or seasonal coefficient of performance (SCOP), emitter size, controls, insulation and actual heat demand all affect the bill.
How much does a heat pump cost to install?
Published figures are estimates made on different bases, so they must not be combined into a single “typical” price. The figures below show what each source includes.
| Published figure | What it represents | Qualification |
|---|---|---|
| About £12,000 | Typical air-source heat-pump installation before the stated grant | Energy Saving Trust figure; varies with heat-pump and property size, new-build versus existing home and radiator upgrades. Page last updated 16 July 2026. |
| £6,500–£11,500 | Installation including VAT, labour and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant | Range quoted by Joanna O’Loan of Energy Saving Trust on GOV.UK; depends on the work required. |
| About £14,000 | Average installation cost used in Energy Saving Trust’s home-heating policy response | A separate context and basis from the £12,000 typical figure; do not treat it as a grant-inclusive price. |
See the underlying consumer estimate at Energy Saving Trust’s air-source heat-pump cost guidance and the grant-inclusive range in GOV.UK’s expert answers.
There is no directly matched, current installation quote in these sources for replacing the same home with a new gas boiler. Consequently, it is not defensible to state a universal heat-pump premium, a guaranteed payback period or a fixed number of years before the extra capital is recovered. A boiler replacement quote may also exclude work that a heat-pump quote includes, such as electrical alterations, a cylinder, larger radiators, pipework changes or fabric improvements.
What a quote should identify
- The heat-loss calculation and design outdoor temperature used for sizing.
- The heat-pump capacity, hot-water cylinder, buffer or hydraulic components and controls included.
- Whether existing radiators, pipework, insulation, electrical supply and consumer-unit work are adequate.
- Scaffolding, base, condensate drainage, planning or noise-related work where applicable.
- Removal of the old boiler, making good, commissioning, user training and warranty terms.
- The gross price, the grant assumed and the balance payable if the grant is unavailable.
Energy Saving Trust recommends at least three quotes from installers accredited through the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS). GOV.UK says installers working under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme must be MCS certified. The recommendation is quoted by Joanna O’Loan as: “We’d recommend getting at least 3 installers to quote, so that you can compare costs and design.”
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How grants change the upfront calculation
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme can materially reduce the amount paid by an eligible household. The cited guidance describes £7,500 support for most eligible cases and up to £9,000 for some homes heated by oil or LPG from 21 July. A household currently using a gas boiler should not assume it qualifies for the higher amount. Eligibility, property requirements and grant values can change, so check the current rules before accepting a quote through the UK Government’s heat-pump guidance and the GOV.UK expert guidance.
Ask each installer to show the grant as a separate line. Compare the amount you actually pay, but retain the pre-grant total when assessing value, because it reveals the scale of the work and makes competing designs easier to compare. A grant is not a reason to accept an undersized or poorly specified system.
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How much does a heat pump cost to run?
A heat pump can deliver several units of heat for each unit of electricity consumed. Energy Saving Trust describes heat pumps as more than three times as efficient as a gas or oil boiler. That is a general explanatory statement, not a guaranteed seasonal performance factor for an individual installation.
Electricity usually costs more per kilowatt-hour than mains gas on a standard tariff. Therefore, high efficiency alone does not prove that a heat pump will produce a lower bill. The relevant comparison is the cost of one unit of useful heat:
- Gas boiler: gas unit price divided by seasonal boiler efficiency, plus the gas standing charge and any other gas use.
- Heat pump: electricity unit price divided by seasonal performance factor, plus the electricity standing charge and any remaining gas standing charge or gas consumption.
In the gas-boiler comparison, the MCS Foundation’s 2025 modelling assumed 85% boiler efficiency. That is a modelling input, not a measurement of every existing boiler. A heat pump’s seasonal result is affected by flow temperature, defrost cycles, hot-water operation, controls, emitter sizing and how often the system is forced to use supplementary heating.
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Energy Saving Trust modelling found that a typical air-source heat pump could save money against installing a new gas boiler when electricity costs less than 3.6 times the gas unit price. The ratio uses the average SPF recorded under the Electrification of Heat Project and is a modelled threshold, not a tariff recommendation. Check your own unit prices and seasonal performance rather than applying 3.6 as a universal rule.
Is a heat pump cheaper to run than a gas boiler?
Sometimes, but not reliably under every tariff or home condition. Energy Saving Trust says heat pumps can cost slightly more than new gas boilers on standard tariffs, while a time-of-use tariff may make them cheaper. A tariff designed for heat-pump operation can change the electricity price at the hours when the system runs, but its rates, controls and eligibility must be checked with the supplier.
The government’s illustrative model
The UK Government’s Clean Energy Campaign model estimated approximately £2,000 a year for gas and £1,900 for a heat pump, a difference of about £100. It modelled a standard three-bedroom detached home with good insulation, typical heat-pump efficiency and a seasonal performance factor of 3.13. It used Octopus Cosy tariff prices and Ofgem price-cap data from July 2023 to July 2024, assumed no gas standing charge in the heat-pump case and assumed gas was not used for cooking in either case.
Those assumptions are decisive. The result is not a current tariff quote, a guarantee for a semi-detached or terraced home, or a forecast of every household’s bill. The campaign page was accessed on 13 October 2026, but the price data in the example are from 2023–24. Read the example at Install a heat pump.
The MCS Foundation’s 2025 comparison
The MCS Foundation modelled five selected Ofgem household archetypes using 2025 price-cap energy prices. It assumed an 85% gas-boiler efficiency, a heat-pump SCOP of 3 and archetype-specific heat demand. In the heat-pump scenario, the gas standing charge and gas meter were removed.
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Across those five archetypes, annual heat-pump and gas-boiler energy bills were broadly similar. Some archetypes showed a small heat-pump saving and others a small increase. These are modelled bills, not observed results for every household. The full assumptions and comparisons are in the MCS Foundation’s February 2026 report.
What happens if the gas connection remains?
If a heat-pump household keeps a gas meter and continues paying a gas standing charge, the heat-pump case loses part of the saving shown in models that remove that charge. This matters especially where gas is no longer used for heating but is retained for cooking or another appliance. Include every standing charge and every remaining fuel use in your own comparison.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Efficiency: what to measure instead of a headline rating
Seasonal performance factor
SPF is the heat delivered over a season divided by the electricity consumed by the heat pump and associated equipment, according to the boundary used for the calculation. It reflects real operating conditions better than a single laboratory point. The government’s illustrative example used SPF 3.13; the MCS Foundation model used SCOP 3. These values belong to those models and should not be presented as a promise for a particular installation.
Flow temperature and emitters
Heat pumps generally work most efficiently when they deliver heat at a lower flow temperature for longer periods. Small radiators designed for a high-temperature boiler may not emit enough heat at that lower temperature. An installer may specify larger radiators, additional emitters or underfloor heating. Running a heat pump at unnecessarily high flow temperatures can reduce its seasonal performance and increase electricity use.
Controls and hot water
Weather compensation, correctly placed sensors, room controls and a properly scheduled hot-water cycle help the system match output to demand. Hot-water production normally requires a higher temperature than space heating and can reduce the instantaneous efficiency. The design should explain cylinder size, reheating times, legionella-protection settings and how priority between heating and hot water is managed.
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Richard Halsey, Innovation Director for Growth at Energy Systems Catapult, summarises the design issue in GOV.UK’s guidance: “As with any heating system, optimising system design can drive efficiency and reduce energy bills.”
How to compare a heat-pump proposal with a new gas boiler
- Record your baseline. Gather at least 12 months of gas and electricity bills, unit rates, standing charges and annual consumption. Separate gas used for heating from gas used for cooking or other appliances where possible.
- Ask for heat demand, not just appliance size. Require the installer to provide a room-by-room heat-loss calculation and the design flow temperature. A heat pump should be sized for the property’s calculated demand, not copied from the old boiler’s output.
- Obtain at least three MCS-certified designs. Compare heat-pump capacity, radiators, cylinder, controls, electrical work, commissioning and warranties line by line. A lower quote may simply omit necessary work.
- Obtain a comparable boiler quote. Ask for a modern condensing boiler sized to the same heat demand, with controls, flue work, removal, hot-water arrangements and making good itemised. This creates a fairer capital comparison.
- Apply the grant carefully. Show the gross heat-pump price, the grant assumed and your net payment. Confirm what happens if eligibility is rejected or the grant value changes.
- Calculate useful-heat cost. Use your actual gas and electricity rates, the boiler efficiency stated in the quote, the heat-pump SPF or justified design estimate, all standing charges and any remaining gas use.
- Test more than one tariff. Compare your current standard tariff with available time-of-use options, including rates at the hours your household can realistically shift heating or hot-water demand. Verify terms and current prices directly with the supplier.
- Stress-test the result. Recalculate with a colder winter, a higher electricity-to-gas price ratio, a retained gas standing charge and a lower seasonal performance. If the decision changes easily, treat the result as uncertain rather than claiming a guaranteed saving.
Home conditions that can change the answer
Insulation and draughts
Insulation and airtightness reduce the heat pump’s required output and can allow lower flow temperatures. They also reduce the running cost of a boiler. Do not assume that every insulation measure pays for itself solely through heating-bill savings; assess comfort, condensation risk, ventilation and the whole project cost.
Radiator capacity
Existing radiators may work, but the design must verify their output at the proposed flow temperature. Some rooms may need larger or additional radiators. The quoted price should identify those changes rather than leaving them as an unspecified possibility.
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An air-source system needs an outdoor unit with suitable airflow and access for maintenance, plus indoor space for components and commonly a hot-water cylinder. Cylinder location can affect cupboard or loft space. Ask the designer to explain siting, noise limits, condensate drainage and how outdoor-unit defrost water will be managed.
Existing boiler condition
If your boiler is old, unreliable or nearing replacement, compare the heat-pump proposal with the full cost of a new boiler and controls, not with the sunk cost of equipment you already own. Conversely, replacing a sound, efficient boiler purely for a small modelled bill difference may not provide a short financial payback.
When a gas boiler may be the lower-cost choice
- Your home needs extensive radiator, electrical or fabric work that is not included in the headline heat-pump price.
- Your electricity tariff is high relative to gas and no suitable time-of-use tariff is available.
- The heat-pump design relies on high flow temperatures or has an unsupported SPF assumption.
- You must retain a gas connection and standing charge while still using gas for other purposes.
- The grant is unavailable, lower than expected or conditional on work that increases the net cost.
- You need a lower upfront payment and the boiler replacement is straightforward and well specified.
These points do not make a boiler more efficient; they describe situations in which capital cost, tariff structure or design constraints can outweigh a heat pump’s efficiency advantage.
When a heat pump can make financial sense
- The property has manageable heat loss and emitters sized for low-temperature operation.
- The design provides a credible seasonal-performance estimate and includes commissioning and controls.
- You qualify for a grant that materially reduces the amount you pay.
- Your electricity-to-gas unit-price ratio is favourable, potentially through a suitable time-of-use tariff.
- You can remove the gas meter and standing charge rather than retaining them for another appliance.
- You value replacing combustion heating and are prepared to operate the system steadily rather than expecting boiler-style short bursts.
The strongest evidence-based next step is to compare professionally designed proposals from MCS-certified installers. Treat any promised annual saving or payback as a scenario that depends on the stated demand, prices, SPF, standing charges and grant—not as a guaranteed outcome.
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