Heat pumps: Record number of low-carbon devices put in UK homes

Some 4,743 heat pumps were installed into UK homes in January

Heat pumps could save people £700 a year on bills by 2050 (PA)

The number of low-carbon heat pumps installed in the UK in January is up by one quarter on the previous year, new data suggests.

Throughout January, 4,743 heat pumps were installed under the UK’s main certification scheme, the MSC, which accounts for the vast majority of heat pumps across the country.

Meanwhile, 21 per cent of the UK’s new home market had a heat pump installed that month, up from 11 per cent in January 2024, according to energy performance certificate (EPC) data.

Phasing out gas boilers and replacing them with heat pumps is seen by the Labour Government as a key to cutting carbon emissions from homes, but their take-up has so far been hampered by high costs.

While the total number of installations remains low, experts said the sharp year-on-year rise indicates there is appetite among homeowners for the more efficient heating technology.

The Government’s boiler upgrade scheme is designed to help subsidise the cost of buying a heat pump, and it saw applications rise nearly 80 per cent in January compared to the same time last year.

Air source heat pumps use electricity and energy from the air to produce heating and hot water ((Alamy/PA))

Irene Omaswa, chairwoman at Ambient, which collated the data, said it is “important to remove barriers for those interested in electrified heating systems”.

She added: “The data demonstrates the importance of policy – Government schemes have significantly driven up adoption of electrified heating technologies.”

Under plans set out for consultation in February, all private landlords in England and Wales will be required to meet EPC C or above by the end of the decade, up from the lower EPC E level currently required.

Under the proposals, landlords will have the choice of how to meet energy efficiency standards, with options such as loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and double-glazing.

They will also then have further options such as solar panels, batteries and smart meters, or low-carbon heating such as heat pumps.

David Cowdrey, chief executive of the MCS Foundation, added the data shows heat pumps are an “increasingly popular choice” for developers and home-buyers.

“That is no surprise as heat pumps can bring down bills and make a home fit for the future,” he said.