🇬🇧 Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler: UK 2025 Comparison
💷 BUS Grant Available: The Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides £7,500 towards air source or ground source heat pumps. No insulation requirements since May 2024. Runs until March 2028.
📌 The Quick Answer:
Gas Boiler: Lower upfront cost (£1,500-£4,500), familiar technology, instant hot water. But faces phase-out by 2035.
Heat Pump: Higher cost (£10,000-£15,000) but £7,500 BUS grant brings it to £2,500-£7,500. Lower running costs, 20+ year lifespan, future-proof.
Bottom Line: With the BUS grant, heat pumps are now cost-competitive with gas boilers. If your boiler is 10+ years old, a heat pump is the smarter long-term investment.
🎯 Quick Decision Matrix
🔥 Choose Gas Boiler If:
- Your budget is very tight (<£3,000)
- You need a quick like-for-like replacement
- You need instant hot water (combi setup)
- Your home has limited space for a cylinder
- You're renting and can't make major changes
- You plan to move within 5 years
✅ Choose Heat Pump If:
- You can claim the £7,500 BUS grant
- Your boiler is 10+ years old anyway
- Your home has reasonable insulation (EPC D+)
- You want lower running costs long-term
- You want to reduce your carbon footprint
- You're planning to stay 10+ years
- You want to future-proof before gas phase-out
📊 Detailed UK Comparison (2025)
* UK costs as of Q4 2024. Sources: Energy Saving Trust, Boiler Guide, Ofgem, The Guardian, Gov.uk.
💷 Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) Details
The BUS grant helps make heat pumps affordable for UK homeowners:
- Grant Amount: £7,500 for air source or ground source heat pumps
- Eligibility: England and Wales, valid EPC (within 10 years), replacing fossil fuel heating
- Insulation: No longer required as of May 2024 (though recommended)
- Application: Your MCS-certified installer applies on your behalf
- Duration: Scheme runs until March 2028
- Budget 2025/26: £295 million allocated
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