Busiest ever January for heat pump installations, figures show

The UK has seen its busiest ever start to the year for low-carbon heat pump installations, up by one quarter on the previous year, according to new data.

Throughout January, 4,743 of the devices 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% of the UK’s new home market had a heat pump installed that month, up from 11% 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.

Removing barriers

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% in January compared to the same time last year.

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.”

‘Fit for the future’

Under plans set out for consultation in February, all private landlords in Wales and England 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.