According to new data from the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS), 250,000 certified heat pump installations have been completed in UK homes.
Heat pump uptake is increasing in pace. MCS notes that over 30,000 certified heat pumps were installed between January and July 2024, representing a 45% increase from the same period in 2023; this puts the UK on track for a record-breaking 2024 for heat pump installations.
Much of this continued demand for home heat pumps is credited to UK government funding schemes for the technology, most notably the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). The BUS provides up to £7,500 to households looking to switch their gas boilers to heat pumps, and uptake rates have skyrocketed following its implementation; data from the UK’s energy regulator Ofgem revealed that application rates rose 84% year-on-year to March 2024.
Ian Rippin, CEO of MCS, said: “It’s great to see the growing number of consumers across UK who are switching to heat pumps to heat their homes.”
“Clearly, there is still some way to go in order to achieve the target of 600,000 annual heat pump installations by 2028, but with the BUS running until March of the same year, consumer demand looks set to continue rising,” he said.
Rising popularity of heat pumps
The rising popularity of home heat pumps is good news for the UK’s decarbonisation goals, but installation rates need to keep rising if net zero targets are to be met.
A report from charity Nesta noted that three million heat pumps and other low carbon heating systems need to be installed over the lifetime of the current Parliament to meet climate obligations—a 12-fold increase over the next five years compared to the previous five.
In response, many companies are offering attractive incentives to those who install heat pumps, through cashback offers or special cut-price energy tariffs.
Halifax mortgage customers can now earn thousands in cashback if they make energy efficiency improvements to their home, including up to £2,000 cashback if they install a home heat pump.
Meanwhile, Swedish cleantech company Aira has joined forces with Octopus Energy to offer new cut-price tariffs for those with home heat pumps or solar panels installed in their home.
ScottishPower has also worked to encourage heat pump installations, launching its first heat pump-specific saver tariff in June of this year.
