Heat pump
Replacing a boiler with a heat pump
One local tradesperson gets your request – no ring-round.
Guide price according to gov.uk: The median reported cost of an air source (air-to-water) heat pump installed under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in April to June 2026 was …
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Most heat pumps in the UK go into homes that already have working central heating, usually a gas combi, an oil boiler or LPG. The replacement is a project with a sequence: survey, grant application, strip-out, new cylinder and controls, commissioning. Knowing that order helps you judge a quote and avoid gaps in heating and hot water. Offrano sends your request to exactly one installer, so the conversation starts with one firm rather than a queue of callers.
- Exactly one business. Your request is handed out once. After that, no other business sees it.
- You know who will be in touch. Before the business receives your contact details, we send you its name, address and phone number.
- Withdraw at any time. You can withdraw your consent at any time – using the link in our email.
What the swap involves, step by step on the installer's side
The installer surveys the house, calculates the heat loss room by room and checks which radiators can stay at a lower flow temperature. If the grant applies, they apply to Ofgem for it and Ofgem contacts you to confirm the installer is acting for you. From the date of the application the installer has 120 days to install and commission the system, so agree a start date that fits inside that window.
On the day, the old boiler is disconnected and removed. A gas boiler replaced by a heat pump normally leaves the gas meter serving nothing, and you can ask your supplier about capping or removing it later. An oil boiler leaves a tank and fuel lines that have to be drained and decommissioned; ask whether that is in the price or a separate job. The new hot water cylinder usually goes where the old one was, or into an airing cupboard; a house with a combi needs space found for it.
Many homes keep most of their pipework. Radiators that are too small for the new flow temperature are swapped for larger ones, and a few narrow microbore circuits may need replacing. Expect a day or two without heating while the systems change over, and plan it outside the coldest weeks if you can.
Source: gov.uk
Grant eligibility when you replace fossil fuel heating
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme in England and Wales pays towards replacing fossil fuel heating: gas, oil, LPG or direct electric. You must own the property, which can be your home, a second home, a rental or a business property. You cannot get a grant to replace an existing low-carbon system, such as an old heat pump, and there is only one grant per property.
If the boiler stays in place as a backup, the grant does not apply: hybrid systems combining a boiler and a heat pump are excluded. The heat pump also has to meet minimum efficiency levels, and the scheme has capacity limits, 45kWth for an individual system, which only matter for very large houses.
Homes heated by oil or LPG without a mains gas connection can get an extra amount until March 2027, shown in the grant details on this page. In Scotland, the Home Energy Scotland grant and loan play the same role; in Wales, Nest can fund a heat pump for eligible households.
Source: gov.uk
Make a requestElectrics and the network operator
A heat pump draws much more electricity than a gas boiler's pump and fan, so the installer checks the incoming supply and the consumer unit. Every heat pump installation must be notified to the local distribution network operator. Where the property's new maximum demand stays within the operator's notification limit, the installer connects and notifies within 28 days; above it, they apply before installing and the operator assesses the supply first, which can add time or a fuse upgrade.
Source: gov.uk
Mistakes that make a replacement disappointing
Sizing the heat pump from the old boiler's output is the classic error: boilers were often far larger than the house needed. Another is keeping every radiator and running the heat pump hot to compensate, which drives up running costs. A third is removing the boiler before the grant has been confirmed.
Ask the installer how the controls will be set at handover. Weather compensation and a low, steady flow temperature usually suit a heat pump better than the on-off heating times many people are used to with a boiler.
- is the boiler removal, and any oil tank decommissioning, included
- which radiators change and why, with the room-by-room figures
- where the cylinder goes and what happens to cold water tanks in the loft
- the date the grant application is made and the planned install date
- the price before and after the grant is deducted
Your request and the installer who buys it
Tell us what heats the house now, the rough age and size of the property and when you would like the work done. After you confirm your phone number and email, heat pump installers in your area see the job without your personal details. One of them can buy it; the others can no longer see it. The installer pays Offrano, and the service costs you nothing.
We email you the installer's business name, address and phone number before your details are released. We cannot promise that someone takes on every job, and a request nobody buys is withdrawn after 21 days. Offrano does not check workmanship, so confirm the installer is MCS certified before you agree to a grant application.
What does it cost?
The median reported cost of an air source (air-to-water) heat pump installed under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in April to June 2026 was £12,908, including the value of the grant, in England and Wales.
Source: www.gov.uk
- Make a request
Grants in the United Kingdom
These schemes may apply to your project. What counts are the provider's conditions at the time you apply.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)
UK Government (DESNZ), administered by Ofgem – England and Wales
Grant towards replacing fossil fuel heating with a heat pump or biomass boiler in England and Wales: £7,500 for an air or ground source heat pump, £2,500 for an air-to-air heat pump and £5,000 for a biomass boiler. Until March 2027 an extra £1,500 is available for air or ground source heat pumps in homes heated by oil or LPG without mains gas; hybrid systems are not funded.
Source: www.gov.uk · As of 09.2026
0 % VAT on energy-saving materials (VAT Notice 708/6)
HM Revenue & Customs
The installation of energy-saving materials in homes – including insulation, draught stripping, heating controls, solar panels, air, ground and water source heat pumps and batteries – is zero-rated for VAT until 31 March 2027, after which the reduced rate of 5% applies. Windows and glazing are standard-rated.
Source: www.gov.uk · As of 09.2026
Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan
Scottish Government, über Home Energy Scotland
Grant and optional interest-free loan for homeowners in Scotland: up to £7,500 grant plus £7,500 loan for air, ground or water source heat pumps, and grants for insulation (e.g. up to £7,500 for solid wall, £1,500 for loft, cavity and underfloor insulation). Rural and island homes can receive an extra £1,500; funding is first come, first served.
Source: www.homeenergyscotland.org · As of 09.2026
Nest (Warm Homes Nest scheme)
Welsh Government
Welsh Government scheme offering free advice to households in Wales and, for eligible households, free home energy improvements such as a heat pump, insulation or solar panels, and in some cases boiler repair or replacement.
Source: www.gov.wales · As of 09.2026
Towns and cities
Guides on Heat pump
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep my gas boiler and add a heat pump?
You can, as a hybrid system, but then the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant is not available, because hybrids with a fossil fuel boiler are excluded. If you want the grant, the heat pump has to replace the boiler as the heating system.
What happens to my oil tank?
It needs to be emptied, cleaned and made safe or removed once the heat pump is running. Some installers include this; others leave it to a specialist. Ask for it to be listed on the quote so it is not forgotten.
I have a combi boiler and no cylinder. Where does the hot water go?
A heat pump heats a stored cylinder, so space has to be found, often in an airing cupboard, a loft conversion eaves space or a utility room. Some compact units combine the cylinder and indoor controls. The survey should settle this before you commit.
Can I get the grant if I rent the house out?
Yes. Owners of rented homes, second homes and business properties in England and Wales can apply through their installer, provided fossil fuel heating is being replaced. Social housing and most new builds are not eligible.
Will more than one installer receive my request?
No. It goes to the single installer that buys it and is then taken off our platform. We tell you who that is before your details are shared.
Ready to make your request?
Describe your project – your request goes to exactly one business.
Make a request