Heat pump cost UK 2026
Air-source heat pumps (ASHP) typically cost £8,000–£14,000 fully installed in the UK, before the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) grant brings net cost to £500–£6,500. Ground-source heat pumps (GSHP) £19,000–£35,000 fitted but more efficient and longer-lasting.
Cost guide ranges
| System type | Small 3-bed | Standard 4-bed | Large 5-bed+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASHP only (gross) | £7,500–£10,500 | £9,500–£13,500 | £12,000–£18,000 |
| ASHP after £7,500 BUS grant | £0–£3,000 | £2,000–£6,000 | £4,500–£10,500 |
| ASHP + radiator upgrade | +£1,500–£4,000 | +£2,500–£6,000 | +£4,000–£9,000 |
| Ground-source heat pump (gross) | £18,000–£25,000 | £22,000–£32,000 | £28,000–£45,000 |
| GSHP after £7,500 BUS grant | £10,500–£17,500 | £14,500–£24,500 | £20,500–£37,500 |
| Hot water cylinder if needed | +£1,200–£2,500 |
What's typically included
- Outdoor heat pump unit (ASHP) or borehole drilling (GSHP)
- Indoor unit + buffer tank
- New hot water cylinder (existing combi boiler doesn't suit heat pumps)
- Pipework upgrades + radiator changes (if undersized for heat pump flow temps)
- Smart controls + weather compensation
- MCS-certified install
- Building regs notification
- BUS grant application paperwork
What's typically NOT included
- Insulation upgrade if home is leaky (often essential — £1,500–£8,000)
- Underfloor heating retrofit (£60–£100/m²)
- New consumer unit if old (£400–£900)
- Removing old boiler + flue (usually included but check)
- Decorating after pipework (£300–£1,200)
What drives the price
- BUS grant (England, Wales, NI) — £7,500 off ASHP and GSHP installs through MCS-certified installer. Applicable to most domestic homes. Scotland has separate Home Energy Scotland scheme with up to £15,000 of loan + grant.
- Home insulation level — heat pumps run at lower flow temperatures than gas boilers, so they need a well-insulated home to keep up with heat demand. Cavity-wall + loft + double glazing is the practical baseline. Older draughty homes often need insulation work first.
- Radiator sizing — most existing radiators are sized for 75°C boiler flow. Heat pumps run at 35–55°C, so radiators often need to be bigger or upgraded to retain output. Adds £1,500–£6,000 across a typical 3-bed.
- Underfloor heating — ideal for heat pumps (low flow temp matches well). Retrofitting UFH is expensive but worthwhile for new extensions / open-plan rooms.
- Hot water — heat pumps need a vented or unvented cylinder. If you currently have a combi boiler with no cylinder, factor £1,200–£2,500 for new tank.
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How we estimated these ranges
This is a guide only. The ranges below are intended for early budgeting and trade benchmarking. They are not a substitute for a site visit or an itemised quote from a qualified tradesperson. Always get a site-specific quote before agreeing work.
What's included in these ranges: typical labour costs, common materials at standard specification, and routine preparation or installation work for a standard project of this type.
What's excluded: unusual access (multi-storey, restricted parking), unforeseen structural issues, specialist design or architect fees, planning and building control application fees, premium or high-end finishes, emergency or out-of-hours work, and regional extremes.
Regional note: London, the South East and remote rural areas can vary significantly from the UK averages shown. London labour rates in particular can run 30–50% higher than national averages on the same scope.
Sources and checks used: publicly available UK trade supplier pricing (2025–2026), common day-rate and labour-duration assumptions used in trade quoting, internal example quote structures from TailoredQuote platform data, and where relevant cross-referenced regional contractor surveys and BCIS-style construction cost data.
Last reviewed: May 2026 by TailoredQuote. Prices in this guide will be reviewed and updated periodically.
Frequently asked questions
£8,000–£14,000 for an air-source heat pump fitted, or £19,000–£35,000 for ground-source. The £7,500 BUS grant brings ASHP net cost to £500–£6,500 in most cases.
Depends on your home. In a well-insulated home with appropriate radiators, ASHPs deliver 3–4× the heat per unit of electricity, beating a gas boiler on running cost as gas prices rise. In a leaky old home with under-sized radiators, performance is poor and bills can be HIGHER than gas. Insulation first.
ASHP: 3–5 days typically. GSHP: 2–3 weeks (borehole drilling + 1 week internal install). Plan around the weather — drilling can be delayed by ground conditions.
ASHP: usually permitted development if the unit is under 0.6m² and at least 1m from the boundary. GSHP: typically permitted as the unit is buried. Conservation areas have stricter rules.
Maybe. The MCS heat-loss survey assesses each room. Most homes need 30–50% of radiators upgraded for heat pump compatibility. Larger radiators or a few replaced with double-panel models is the norm.
Related cost guides
Last reviewed: May 2026
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