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What are heat pumps?
Heat pumps are domestic heating appliances that work by taking in heat from outside a building, heating it further using electricity and then moving it inside to keep you warm in the winter.
A heat pump can also cool your home by transferring heat from the inside to the outside and emits cool air into your rooms, much like an air conditioning unit.
Heat pumps come in two broad categories: ground-source heat pumps and air-source heat pumps. With the former, heat is absorbed from the ground. With the latter, heat is absorbed from the air.
How much do heat pumps cost?
That largely depends on the type of heat pump you choose. However, as a rule of thumb expect to pay somewhere between £14,000-£19,000 for air-source heat pumps, including installation.
Ground-source heat pumps are more expensive, by some distance. According to the Energy Saving Trust, they typically come in at between £28,000-£34,000, largely because they're a bigger, more complex systems and require much more work to install.
Reasons to choose Hometree
15 years of experience with over 2,500 heat pump installations across the UK
MCS Certified, Which? Trusted Trader, Check-a-Trade Approved, and rated "Excellent" on Trustpilot
Premium installer partner with Vaillant, Mitsubishi, Samsung, and more
Prices start from £1,499 (including the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme government grant)
Hometree will secure your £7,500 government grant as part of the installation
Hometree's installation teams are in-house; it does not outsource installation to external subcontractors
Reasons to choose Glow Green
Glow Green pledges to beat any like-for-like heat pump quote
Rated 'Excellent' on Trustpilot, with over 10,000 reviews
Prices start from £1,995 (including the government £7,500 grant)
Spread the cost over manageable monthly payments
Reasons to choose Good Energy
25 years of green energy expertise and the only B Corp home energy supplier in the UK
5-star Trustpilot rating and Which? Trusted Trader heat pump installer – expert local teams
Bespoke heat pump systems designed around your home – self-builds, retrofits and period properties all covered
Designed with optimum efficiency in mind, reaching an average of 360%*
10-year warranties and remote monitoring capabilities for long-term reassurance
*More information at goodenergy.co.uk/heatpumpcarbon
What affects the cost of installing heat pumps?
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The dimensions of your home
The larger your house, the larger the heat pump you’ll likely require. And the more you should budget for
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Age of your home
Older homes can present more of a challenge and accrue additional costs as a result
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Your existing heating system
Some systems, especially older ones, require more work to make compatible with heat pumps
Can I get a grant to install heat pumps?
Under the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme, you can get £7,500 towards the cost of buying and installing heat pumps. But you'll need to meet certain criteria:
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To qualify you need to...
Own a home in England or Wales
Use the grant to replace a fossil-fuel boiler or electric storage heaters
Have an EPC certificate
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You won’t qualify if you...
Have a hybrid heating system
Want to replace a low-carbon heating system
Have a heating system with capacity of over 45kW
Have previously been granted government funding for a heat pump
Is my home suitable for a heat pump?
Contrary to what you may have heard, almost all kinds of homes are suitable for a heat pump. However, it's also true to say certain heat pumps are more apt for some homes than others.
Air-source heat pumps are perhaps the most readily compatible category of heat pump. That’s because they’re comparatively compact and are relatively affordable compared to ground-source pumps.
Ground-source heat pumps are more apt for homes with lots of room outdoors. For the reason that they require installation of underground pipes, or for a borehole to be drilled
Air-to-air heat pumps, which use fans to heat your home, are generally best suited to flats, park homes and smaller properties in general
To find out a bit more about which heat pump is right for you, take a look at Gov.co.uk’s heat pump suitability tool.
How much maintenance does a heat pump need?
No more than a standard boiler. That means it's a good idea to ensure you get your heat pumps serviced annually. Some warranties insist that you do so, or the warranty is rendered invalid.
In keeping with the more complex nature of ground-source heat pumps, they typically also require a professional to come in and re-pressurise your water loop or check the anti-freeze. This should be carried out every two-three years.
Do heat pumps require planning permission?
Not in many cases. This is because they're considered a permitted development, as long as the pump meets certain conditions. One such is that in the case of air-source heat pumps, the outdoor compressor unit cannot exceed 0.6 cubic metres.
However, in some instances further restrictions may apply that require planning permission. So it's best to check with your local planning department.
What is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?
Available to homeowners in England and Wales, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme is a government initiative that helps with the cost of installing heat pumps. Under the scheme, vouchers are on offer for up to £7,500 to mitigate the cost of equipping your home with ground-source or air-source heat pumps.
Reviewed on 5 Dec 2025 by
