Home Heat pump installation
Heat pump installation
The median air source heat pump fitted under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme cost £12,908 in April to June 2026, or about £5,400 once the £7,500 grant comes off. The installer you choose matters more than the brand of heat pump.
A heat pump installation replaces your boiler with a unit that pulls heat from the outside air (or the ground) and pumps it into your radiators and hot water cylinder. Most UK homes that switch fit an air source heat pump. The job is bigger than a boiler swap: the system has to be designed around your home’s heat loss, and some radiators and pipes may change.
Tell us your postcode and we’ll pass your request to MCS certified installers who cover your area. They survey, design and quote, and they claim the grant for you.
How a heat pump installation works
- Survey. The installer visits, measures each room, notes wall and window types and looks at your pipes, radiators and where the outdoor unit and cylinder could go.
- Heat loss and design. Under the MCS design standard (MIS 3005-D), the installer must calculate heat loss room by room. That sets the size of the heat pump in kW, the flow temperature and which radiators need upsizing.
- Quote and performance estimate. You get an itemised quote with the grant deducted, plus an MCS performance estimate showing expected efficiency (SCOP) and yearly electricity use.
- Grant voucher. In England and Wales the installer applies to Ofgem for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme voucher. Ofgem emails you, and you have 14 days to confirm.
- Fitting. The old boiler comes out, the outdoor unit goes on a base or wall brackets, and a cylinder, controls and any new radiators go in.
- Commissioning and handover. The installer sets the flow temperature and weather compensation, shows you the controls and leaves the MCS certificate and paperwork.
Ask how long your heating and hot water will be off. On a job that changes a cylinder and several radiators, plan for more than one day without heat.
Will a heat pump work in your home?
The most common worry is that heat pumps only suit new builds. That isn’t the case. What matters is that the heat pump and radiators are sized for how much heat your house loses on a cold day. A draughty Victorian terrace can work well with larger radiators, while a poor design can struggle in a newer house.
Things that change the design and the price:
- Radiators. A heat pump runs cooler than a boiler, so some rooms need a bigger radiator to stay warm. Not every radiator has to go.
- Pipework. Narrow microbore pipes may need upsizing to carry enough water.
- Hot water. You need a hot water cylinder. If you have a combi now, the installer has to find space for one, often in an airing cupboard or loft.
- Insulation. Topping up loft insulation or fixing draughts lowers heat loss and can mean a smaller, cheaper unit. You don’t need to insulate every wall first.
- Outdoor space. The unit needs airflow and a spot where its noise won’t bother you or a neighbour.
Our guide to air source heat pumps explains how they work and what they cost to run compared with gas. If you have land for trenches or a borehole, compare air source vs ground source.
Check the installer is MCS certified
Only an MCS certified installer can claim the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant, and they must also belong to an approved consumer code such as RECC or HIES. Check the company on the MCS website before you sign. Ask for:
- their MCS certification number and consumer code membership
- who does the heat loss survey, and whether it is room by room
- who fits the electrics, and who handles notifying your electricity network operator
- the warranty on the heat pump, and separately on the workmanship
- what happens if the grant claim is rejected, in writing in the contract
Rules that apply
Planning. In England, permitted development rules changed on 29 May 2025. A unit can now go within 1 metre of the boundary, the size limit rose to 1.5 cubic metres and a detached house can have two units. The install must pass the MCS 020(a) noise calculation to count as permitted development. Listed buildings, flats and conservation areas can need consent. Rules in Scotland and Wales differ, so ask your council if you’re unsure.
Grant rules. To get the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant you must own the property in England or Wales, replace a fossil fuel or electric system, and remove the old boiler completely. Keeping a gas boiler as backup makes the job ineligible. The full grant has to come off your quote upfront. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme guide covers the steps, and our heating grants page lists help in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
How to compare heat pump quotes
Quotes for the same house often differ by several thousand pounds. That isn’t always padding: one installer may have priced new radiators and pipework that another left out. Put the quotes side by side and check:
- Heat pump size in kW. If one quote is much bigger than the others, ask why.
- Design flow temperature. A lower flow temperature usually means better efficiency and lower bills, but may mean more radiator changes.
- Expected SCOP and yearly kWh. These come from the MCS performance estimate and let you estimate running costs.
- Every radiator change, the cylinder and any pipework, listed room by room.
- The grant shown as a deduction, with the price you pay after it.
- Commissioning, weather compensation set-up and a handover visit.
If a quote sits well above the upper quartile of about £15,600 for a typical air source job, ask what is driving it. Our heat pump cost guide breaks down prices by size and explains what pushes them up.
When to plan a heat pump installation
The best time is before your boiler fails. A heat pump needs a survey, a design and a grant voucher, which you can’t rush in the middle of winter with no heating. If your boiler is old or repairs are adding up, get a heat pump quote alongside a new boiler quote and compare the two.
If you heat with oil or LPG and have no gas meter point, the grant is £9,000 for applications made by 31 March 2027. The voucher lasts 3 months for air source and 6 months for ground source, so the work must be finished and claimed in that time.
Typical heat pump installation prices
| Job | Typical UK price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Air source heat pump, median job | £12,908 before the grant | About £5,400 after the £7,500 grant |
| Air source, middle half of jobs | £11,128 to £15,627 | Half of all installs fell in this range |
| 4 to 6kW air source | £11,494 | Smaller, well-insulated homes |
| 8 to 10kW air source | £12,686 | A common size for a semi or small detached house |
| 12 to 14kW air source | £15,365 | Larger or leakier homes |
| Ground source heat pump, median job | £27,232 before the grant | Same £7,500 grant; digging or drilling drives the cost |
| Off-gas home replacing oil or LPG | Grant of £9,000 | Applications made 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027 |
Installed costs are medians for April to June 2026 from DESNZ Boiler Upgrade Scheme statistics (August 2026 release). Grant amounts from GOV.UK. Which? reported an average of £13,431 for October to December 2025.
Heat pump installation guides
- Air source heat pumps: how they work and who they suit
- How much does a heat pump cost?
- Air source vs ground source heat pumps
Heat pump installation by city
Show all 50 cities as a list
England
- Birmingham
- Bolton
- Bournemouth
- Bradford
- Brighton
- Bristol
- Cambridge
- Chelmsford
- Coventry
- Derby
- Doncaster
- Exeter
- Gloucester
- Huddersfield
- Hull
- Ipswich
- Leeds
- Leicester
- Liverpool
- London
- Luton
- Manchester
- Middlesbrough
- Milton Keynes
- Newcastle
- Northampton
- Norwich
- Nottingham
- Oxford
- Peterborough
- Plymouth
- Portsmouth
- Preston
- Reading
- Sheffield
- Southampton
- Stoke-on-Trent
- Sunderland
- Swindon
- Wakefield
- Warrington
- Wolverhampton
- York
Northern Ireland
Common questions
How long does a heat pump installation take?
It depends on how much changes inside. A straight swap with most radiators kept is quicker than a job that adds a new hot water cylinder, changes several radiators or upsizes pipework. Ask each installer for a written plan of the days on site and when your heating and hot water will be off.
Do I need planning permission for an air source heat pump?
In England most installs count as permitted development. Since 29 May 2025 a unit can sit within 1 metre of your boundary, the size limit is 1.5 cubic metres and a detached house can have two units. The install must pass the MCS 020(a) noise check. Listed buildings, flats and conservation areas can need consent, so ask your council if in doubt.
Will I have to replace all my radiators?
Not always. The installer works out the heat loss of each room and checks whether the existing radiator can deliver it at the planned flow temperature. Some rooms will need a bigger radiator, others will be fine as they are.
Who applies for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant?
Your MCS certified installer applies, not you. Ofgem emails you to confirm, and you have 14 days to respond. The grant must be taken off your quote upfront.
Can I keep my gas boiler as a backup?
Not if you want the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant. The old fossil fuel system has to be removed completely, and hybrid systems do not qualify.
Sources
- DESNZ: Boiler Upgrade Scheme statistics, August 2026
- GOV.UK: Boiler Upgrade Scheme, what you can get
- GOV.UK: Boiler Upgrade Scheme, check if you're eligible
- Ofgem: BUS guidance for property owners, version 5.1 (July 2026)
- MCS: MIS 3005-D heat pump design standard
- MCS: heat pump performance estimate (MCS 031)
- MCS: new permitted development rules in England and MCS 020(a)
- Which?: air source heat pump costs and savings
- Nesta: four years of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in four charts
- Home Energy Scotland: grants and loans