What it is and how it works

An air source heat pump takes heat from the outside air and moves it into your home. It works like a fridge in reverse. A fan draws air over a coil filled with refrigerant, which absorbs heat even on a cold day. A compressor raises the temperature, and the heat passes into the water that runs through your radiators or underfloor heating and fills your hot water cylinder.

Because it moves heat rather than making it by burning fuel, a heat pump gives out more heat than the electricity it uses. It works best when it heats water to a lower temperature than a boiler does, and runs for longer. That is why the design matters: the heat pump, the radiators or floor, and the house itself have to be sized together. We work that out room by room before we quote.

Cost and grants

The price depends on the size of the house, how much heat it loses, whether radiators need changing and where the unit and cylinder go. We give a fixed quote after the survey, itemised so you can see what each part costs.

Three things are worth knowing now:

Boiler Upgrade Scheme. The government scheme offers £7,500 towards an air source heat pump. Until March 2027 there is an extra £1,500 if your home is heated by oil or LPG and has no mains gas connection. The grant is applied for by an MCS certified installer and taken off the cost of the installation. We check your eligibility for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme at the survey and explain how it applies to your installation.
0% VAT. The supply and installation of an air source heat pump in a home is zero-rated for VAT in Great Britain until 31 March 2027. The rate is due to return to 5% from 1 April 2027.
Planning. On a house, the outdoor unit can be fitted under permitted development if it is no bigger than 1.5 cubic metres and meets the MCS 020a planning standard. A detached house can have two units this way, other houses one. The unit cannot go above ground floor level on a wall that faces a road. Listed buildings need consent, and conservation areas have tighter rules on walls and roofs facing a road.

Figures reviewed 18 September 2026.

Heat pumps and the rest of your home

A heat pump is at its best in a home that holds its heat and spreads it gently. Wet underfloor heating is the ideal partner, because it runs at the low water temperatures a heat pump likes. In an airtight new build or renovation, MVHR keeps the air fresh without throwing that heat away. And solar panels with a battery can supply part of the electricity the heat pump runs on. We design them together, so every part is sized to work with the others.

Pros and cons

Pros

Heats your home and your hot water with no gas or oil burnt on site
Makes more heat than the electricity it uses, because it moves heat rather than burning fuel
No VAT on the supply and installation in a home until 31 March 2027
Runs on electricity, so solar panels and a battery can supply part of it
Works well with wet underfloor heating, which suits its gentle, low-temperature heat

Cons

It needs space outside for the unit and usually space inside for a hot water cylinder
Some radiators may need replacing with larger ones to heat rooms at lower temperatures
A draughty, poorly insulated house will need more heat, and may need work first
The upfront cost is higher than a like-for-like boiler swap
Listed buildings, and some positions on a wall facing a road, need planning permission

Who it suits

Homes with some outdoor space for the unit, on the ground or on a wall
Houses that are reasonably well insulated, or being insulated as part of the work
New builds, extensions and renovations, where the heating is being redesigned anyway
Homes off the gas grid that now heat with oil or LPG

What is included in a Bespoke installation

A survey of the house, the existing heating and the place for the outdoor unit
A room-by-room heat loss calculation, so the heat pump is sized to your home
A heating design covering radiators or underfloor heating, the cylinder and controls
A planning check before you commit, including the position of the unit
Installation, electrical connection and commissioning by the same team
A handover showing you the controls and how to get the best from them

Frequently asked questions

Will a heat pump work in an older house?

Often, yes, but it depends on how much heat the house loses. We measure that at the survey, room by room. If the house needs insulation or bigger radiators first, we tell you before you spend anything on a heat pump.

Can I get the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant?

The scheme offers £7,500 towards an air source heat pump, and the installer applies for it. We check your eligibility for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme at the survey and explain how it applies to your installation.

Do I need planning permission for an air source heat pump?

Many houses in England can fit one under permitted development, within limits on the size and position of the outdoor unit. Listed buildings, flats and some conservation areas are different. We check this at the survey before you commit.

Can I run a heat pump from solar panels?

Partly. A heat pump runs on electricity, so solar panels can supply some of it, most of all in spring and autumn. A battery can store daytime generation for the evening. We design them together so each part is sized for the others.