Right for most homes
Air source (air-to-water)
Heats your radiators and hot water. Works in old houses if it’s well designed. Needs outdoor space for the unit.
Grant £7,500 · £9,000 for homes on oil or LPG until 31 March 2027
How air source works →Four kinds of heat pump
Air source is right for most homes.
Ground and water source were once the efficient choice. Air source has closed most of that gap — at a fraction of the cost, and without the digging.
- Installed cost, before grant
- £ lower££ typical£££ tens of thousands
- Relative, not a quote. A survey decides.
Needs land
Ground source
Historically the most efficient, but it costs tens of thousands and needs a large garden or land. Air source has closed most of the gap.
Grant £7,500
Ground source →Needs water
Water source
Only for homes next to a suitable water source.
Grant £7,500
Water source →Grants are the Boiler Upgrade Scheme for England and Wales, paid to your MCS installer — figures from the Energy Saving Trust, checked 16 July 2026. Scotland and Northern Ireland run their own schemes.
Get a ballpark estimate →What decides your payback
Almost any home can have one. The payback is in the design.
From an engineer who fits them every week: a heat pump works in almost any home. Whether yours pays back depends on five things you can influence.
01
The heat loss survey
Room by room, so the unit is right-sized. Oversizing cuts efficiency.
Read the answer →02Radiator sizing
Bigger radiators where needed let the system run cooler — and cheaper.
Read the answer →03Controls and thermostat settings
Always on, small night setbacks, immersion off. Wrong settings are the number one mistake.
Read the answer →04Your tariff
A heat pump or time-of-use tariff changes the sums.
Read the answer →05Solar and battery
Cheap overnight charging and summer sun both shorten payback.
Read the answer →The estimate ranks these five for your home.
Get a ballpark estimate →
Government schemes
Grants and 0% VAT can take thousands off the price.
Support varies across the UK. Start with the official source for where your home is — every figure below links to it.
England & Wales£7,500 or £9,000
Boiler Upgrade Scheme
£7,500 towards an air, ground or water source heat pump, paid straight to your installer. £9,000 if your home runs on oil or LPG, until 31 March 2027. Air-to-air: £2,500.
Check official guidance ↗Scotland£7,500 + loan
Home Energy Scotland grant
Up to £7,500 grant (£9,000 rural) plus an optional interest-free loan of up to £7,500.
Check official guidance ↗UK-wide0% VAT
On heat pump installation
Zero-rated as an energy-saving material until 31 March 2027, including labour.
Check official guidance ↗Figures as published by each scheme at our last review (Energy Saving Trust, 16 July 2026). Eligibility, availability and values change — check before you commit to work. Northern Ireland: start with nidirect ↗. This page does not assess eligibility or submit an application.
Get a ballpark estimate →Frequently asked questions
- 01Are heat pumps worth it?
- 02How does a heat pump work?
- 03What happens during a heat pump survey?
- 04Do heat pumps work in old houses?
- 05Air source or ground source: which heat pump do you need?
- 06Do you need solar panels or a battery for a heat pump?
- 07Where can a heat pump go?
- 08Do you need a new hot water cylinder for a heat pump?
- 09Does a heat pump need an electrical upgrade?
- 10How to spot a bad heat pump installation
- 11Why is there water under my heat pump?
- 12How should I set my heat pump thermostats?
- 13Do heat pumps work in cold weather?
- 14Are heat pumps noisy?
- 15What happens to a heat pump in a power cut?
- 16How much does a heat pump cost, and what grants can I get?
- 17How do I choose a heat pump installer?
Not sure where to start? The estimate points you to the answers that matter for your home.
Get a ballpark estimate →Already have a heat pump?
We look after the ones already fitted, too.
Start with a ballpark. Then a survey.
Twelve questions give you a cost range, the grant you’re likely eligible for and what would improve payback. A room-by-room heat-loss survey comes next — installers in the network show whether they design, install and commission before you book anything.