Weak heat pump uptake harming efforts to cut emissions, government

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Every household must be engaged by the government in the shift to clean heating as uptake of heat pumps to replace boilers is running at less than half of expected levels, the public spending watchdog has warned.

A report by the National Audit Office (NAO) described assumptions on consumer demand for heat pumps, which use electricity to draw heat from the ground, air or water for heating buildings, as “optimistic”.

It also called into question public awareness of the availability of boiler upgrade grants to help smooth the transition from oil and gas-fired boilers amid the battle against climate change.

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The home energy sector accounts for around 18% of the country’s overall greenhouse gas emissions.

The NAO said that just 18,900 of the clean heating units were installed under the grant scheme from May 2022 to December 2023 – less than half the up to 50,000 expected by that point.

Since the grant was increased from £5,000 to £7,500 in September, the number of heat pumps being installed had risen, it added, but the study also reported doubts on whether the increase would be sustained.

The report identified two barriers to increased installations, including poor awareness.

It said cost also remained a factor, despite aid from the grant, as heat pumps are four times more expensive than gas boilers despite far greater efficiency.