The government have said heat pump grants will increase by 50 per cent to £7,500 from Monday.
The extra support of £2,500, boosting the £5,000 offer, will be in place for families up and down England and Wales to upgrade their heating. This decision comes as the government faces criticism for not leaning towards the use of low-carbon technology quickly enough.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently announced the rise would come during a speech last month which saw the watering down of the net zero strategy and his “new approach to achieving net zero”.
The rise means households can now install new heat pumps for a cheaper price than the average boiler.
Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho said: "No one should have to choose between cutting costs and cutting emissions - our pragmatic approach means we can continue to deliver on our ambitious net zero targets without unfairly hitting the pockets of hardworking families.
"From today, for some households starting prices for heat pumps could now be below the average gas boiler, as we have increased the cash grant by 50 per cent to £7,500 – making our scheme one of the most generous in Europe..."
What is a heat pump grant?
It was decided that in addition to increasing the air source heat pump grant from £5,000 to £7,500, ground source heat pump grants have risen from £6,000 to £7,500. Moreover, households can still access £5,000 grants for biomass boilers.
These are grants which aim to target fuel poverty and also support carbon footprint reduction. They will cut the costs of installing heat pumps primarily used to stay warm and to reduce heating costs which applies more for those currently using oil, electricity or LPGs to heat their homes.
£1 billion Great British Insulation Scheme and Boiler Upgrade Scheme grants can be used to help the most vulnerable, replacing their inefficient gas boilers with the latest technology.
Other schemes providing grants across the UK include:
- Home Upgrade Grant: England
- ECO4: England, Scotland and Wales
- Warmer Homes Scotland: Scotland
- Nest: Wales
Who is eligible for a heat pump grant?
Here are some requirements for customers to be considered eligible for heat pump grants according to the gov.uk. website. At a glance, applicants will need to:
- Own the property applied for, whether it’s a business, a second home, or a property rented out to tenants
- Have installed new heating systems on or after 1 April 2022
- Replace fossil fuel heating systems, including oil, gas or electric
- The property applied for must also have a valid Energy Performance Certificate
