Heat Pump Installers Aberdeen: MCS and HES Grant

Heat pumps work well in cold places when the house holds its heat. Aberdeen's housing makes that the main hurdle: the city has one of the lowest shares of insulated walls in Scotland and more than double the national rate of homes with thin loft insulation, according to the Scottish House Condition Survey.

Fixing that first means a smaller heat pump, smaller radiators and lower bills, and Home Energy Scotland can fund both steps.

Aberdeen at a glance

How homes are heated: 78.4% of Aberdeen City households use mains gas central heating, 9.9% electric and 1.6% a district or communal heat network (1,790 homes). Oil heats 0.6%, about 650 homes. Source
Homes that are flats: 50.2% of Aberdeen City households live in a flat, maisonette or apartment, against 34.4% across Scotland. Source
Insulation gaps: Only 44% of walls in Aberdeen City were insulated in 2022 to 2024, one of the lowest rates in Scotland (58% nationally). 12% of dwellings had less than 100mm of loft insulation, against 5% nationally. Source
District heating: Aberdeen Heat & Power, formed in 2002, runs combined heat and power networks built mainly for the city's high-rise social housing. It says it can supply over 2,000 homes and 15 public buildings. Source
Oil beyond the city boundary: In neighbouring Aberdeenshire, 21.3% of households (about 24,700) heat with oil, against 5.1% across Scotland. Source
Heat pump grant: The Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan offers homeowners up to £7,500 in grant towards a heat pump, plus an optional interest-free loan of up to £7,500. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme does not cover Scotland. Source
Energy ratings: 53% of homes in Aberdeen were rated EPC A, B or C (SAP 2012) in 2022 to 2024, so about 47% were D or below. The Scottish average was 55%. Source

Funding in Scotland

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme only covers England and Wales. In Aberdeen, homeowners apply to the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan, which offers up to £7,500 in grant towards a heat pump plus an optional interest-free loan of up to £7,500. Energy efficiency work can get a further grant of up to 75% of the cost, capped at £7,500.

Your installer must be MCS certified and use MCS certified products. Funding is first come, first served within each financial year, so apply before you sign a contract.

Planning rules

In Scotland, one air source heat pump on a house or flat is usually permitted development if it protrudes no more than 1 metre from the wall or roof and meets the MCS planning standard. In a conservation area such as Old Aberdeen, the unit must be at ground floor level on the rear elevation to stay within those rights. A listed building's curtilage needs permission.

Flats and district heating

Half of Aberdeen households live in a flat, and a heat pump for a single flat needs space for the outdoor unit and the owners' agreement for anything on a shared wall or back green. Some council high-rise blocks already take heat from Aberdeen Heat & Power's networks, so a heat pump is not the next step there.

Heat pumps in Aberdeen homes

Granite tenement flats

Solid granite walls lose heat fast, and internal wall insulation eats into room space. A heat pump can still work, but expect larger radiators and a careful heat loss survey.

Postwar and later suburban semis

The best fit in the city: gardens for the unit, cavity walls that can be filled and room for a hot water cylinder in the airing cupboard.

Granite villas and larger detached houses

High heat demand means a bigger unit, but large gardens make siting easy. Loft and floor insulation first will cut the size you need.

Areas covered

Engineers who cover Aberdeen work across areas including Rosemount, Old Aberdeen, Torry, Ferryhill, Cults, Bieldside, Dyce, Bridge of Don, Kincorth and Westhill.

View Aberdeen on Google Maps

Questions people in Aberdeen ask

Do heat pumps cope with Aberdeen winters?

Yes, if sized properly. They are used widely in colder countries. The design should be based on a room-by-room heat loss calculation, which an MCS installer must carry out.

Can I get the grant to replace an old heat pump?

No. Home Energy Scotland says replacement heat pumps are not eligible for grant, but an interest-free loan of up to £7,500 is available.

Sources

Also nearby: Heat pump installation in Dundee, Heat pump installation in Edinburgh

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