Page review status
Written by: HeatWise Home Editorial Team
Reviewed by: Editorial review by HeatWise Home
Review status: Internally reviewed for clarity, source consistency, and calculation assumptions.
Expert review: Not currently externally expert-reviewed.
Last updated: 2026-04-28
Last reviewed: 2026-04-28
Confidence: medium
External expert review: HeatWise Home does not currently publish named external expert reviewers. We are working toward adding independent review from qualified retrofit, heating, or building-energy professionals. Until then, users should treat our calculators and guides as educational planning tools and confirm decisions with official sources and qualified installers.
Medium confidence
Energy prices, grant rules, and installation costs change frequently. The figures on this page are planning ranges, not quotes. Always confirm your current tariff, delivered fuel price, installer scope, and eligibility in the named references linked below.
What UK homeowners should know about heat pump versus gas boiler costs
The UK market is shaped by mains gas in many towns and cities, oil or LPG in off-grid homes, and grant rules that can differ by nation. That means heat pump versus gas boiler costs should be assessed using your own bills, installer quote, and current official scheme guidance.
Do not rely on one average installation cost or one national tariff. Electricity, gas, and oil prices change, and a heat pump that performs well in one home can disappoint in another if heat loss, radiators, controls, or hot water design are not handled properly.
Example planning calculation
A common first check is to estimate useful heat demand, then compare current fuel cost with expected heat pump electricity use. For example, a 12,000 kWh heat demand divided by SCOP 3.2 gives about 3,750 kWh of heat pump electricity use.
If electricity costs 30p per kWh, that would be about GBP1,125 per year for heating energy before standing charges. The current system should be compared on useful heat, not just fuel bought, because boiler efficiency matters.
Sources and assumptions
Last checked: 2026-04-28. Confidence: medium.
- Electricity price range: GBP 0.22-0.34 per kWh (Ofgem regional cap spread and available tariffs).
- Gas price range: GBP 0.05-0.11 per kWh (Ofgem cap benchmark and regional/tariff variation).
- Heating oil equivalent range: GBP 0.09-0.13 per kWh equivalent (kerosene supplier tracking, delivery-size and season dependent).
- GOV.UK Boiler Upgrade Scheme
Used for: Grant rules and eligibility checks
- Ofgem energy price cap and market data
Used for: Energy price and market context
- MCS standards and UK building fabric guidance
Used for: Efficiency, retrofit, and installer standards
Caveat: prices vary by supplier, tariff, region, standing charge, and usage. Use your live bill and tariff for final decisions.
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