UK Government Pushes for Heat Pump Unit Expansion with New Funding and Training Plans
Heat Pump Units are the Future for the UK
The UK government is stepping up its commitment to low-carbon heating, launching a new wave of funding, training initiatives, and consumer incentives to accelerate heat pump adoption nationwide. The goal: to reach 600,000 installations per year by 2028 and make heat pumps a mainstream choice for British homes.
While uptake is rising rapidly, challenges remain, from high electricity prices to planning restrictions, making consistent policy support vital if the UK is to meet its ambitious targets.
In this article:
- Government action: The UK is ramping up support for low-carbon heating, offering £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grants, investing in 18,000 installer training places, and backing domestic heat pump manufacturing to reach 600,000 installations per year by 2028.
- Rapid growth: Over 30,000 certified heat pumps were installed in the first half of 2024, a 45% increase year-on-year, bringing the national total past 250,000 units and marking strong momentum for 2025.
- Key challenges: High electricity costs, planning restrictions, and policy uncertainty continue to slow wider adoption, but reforms and stable incentives could help heat pumps become mainstream by the late 2020s.
Government Support and Initiatives
At the centre of the UK’s heat pump strategy is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), which offers grants of up to £7,500 to homeowners in England and Wales who replace gas or oil boilers with air-source or ground-source heat pumps. The scheme has seen a surge in demand since funding was increased in 2024, with applications rising by over 80% compared to the previous year.
To address the shortage of skilled installers, the government has also announced plans to train up to 18,000 professionals in the next few years. These programmes will equip workers with the expertise to fit heat pumps, improve home insulation, and integrate renewable heating technologies, critical skills for meeting the 2028 target.
Further investment is being directed toward domestic heat pump manufacturing, supporting UK-based production and creating new green jobs. This localisation effort aims to strengthen supply chains, reduce costs, and enhance economic resilience.
The government is also expanding consumer choice, exploring options to include air-to-air heat pumps, heat batteries, and hybrid systems within upgrade schemes, giving households more flexibility to match their needs and budgets.
Performance and Uptake
Momentum is building. Between January and July 2024, more than 30,000 certified heat pump installations were recorded, a 45% increase compared to the same period in 2023, according to data from the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS).
The UK has now surpassed 250,000 total certified heat pump installations, marking a major milestone on the road to decarbonising home heating. Industry forecasts suggest that 2024 will close as a record year for installations, fuelled by the expanded grant scheme and heightened consumer awareness.
To sustain this progress, a national awareness campaign launched in September 2025 aims to promote the comfort, cost savings, and climate benefits of heat pumps. The campaign also seeks to dispel common myths — such as performance issues in cold weather — by highlighting real-world success stories from across the country.
Challenges and Ongoing Issues
Despite encouraging trends, several barriers could slow progress if left unaddressed.
The most significant is the cost gap between electricity and gas. Because electricity carries environmental levies while gas does not, running a heat pump can still be more expensive than heating with a gas boiler. Many experts, including the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), have called for shifting these levies from electricity to gas bills to make heat pumps more affordable.
Planning rules present another hurdle. Regulations require outdoor heat pump units to be installed at least one metre from a property boundary, which can be challenging in dense urban areas or for homes with limited outdoor space. Simplifying these rules or allowing case-by-case flexibility could unlock thousands of additional installations.
Finally, industry groups warn that policy stability will be essential. Frequent changes to incentive schemes can undermine consumer confidence and discourage installers or manufacturers from investing in the long term. Consistent funding, clear messaging, and cross-sector coordination are key to ensuring the UK reaches its 2028 goal.
The Road Ahead
The government’s renewed focus on heat pump deployment reflects the UK’s broader net-zero strategy, aiming to cut emissions from home heating, one of the largest sources of household carbon output. As gas boilers are phased out of new-build homes under the upcoming Future Homes Standard (2025), heat pumps will play an increasingly central role in achieving these goals.
If momentum continues, analysts believe that 2025–2026 could mark the point where heat pumps transition from a niche technology to a mainstream heating solution. For homeowners, this means greater access to financial support, improved installer availability, and more choice in renewable home-heating products.
Final Thoughts
The UK’s push to scale up heat pump adoption is gathering pace, but success depends on getting the details right. Reducing electricity costs, streamlining planning permissions, and maintaining stable incentives will all be crucial to keeping installations on track for the 600,000-per-year target by 2028.
With stronger funding, domestic manufacturing, and a growing workforce of trained installers, the UK has a real opportunity to lead Europe in home decarbonisation. For households considering the switch, now is the perfect time to explore the grants and options available.
