Heat pumps without home insulation could raise bills and overload the grid – here’s what the government can do

Infrared imaging reveals where most heat is lost from a house. Ivan Smuk/Shutterstock

The UK aims to replace 1.7 million gas boilers a year by the mid-2030s, as part of its plan to reach net zero. This will require rapidly scaling up the installation of heat pumps which can run on renewable electricity. Just 67,000 were installed in 2021.

But without consistent action to improve home insulation, newly installed heat pumps could struggle to heat a building adequately, burden homes with hefty electricity bills and even overload the grid.