A modern air source heat pump installed beside a contemporary British brick home at dusk

A smarter way to heat your home.

Heat pumps use energy from the environment to provide efficient heating and hot water for your home. Discover how they work, whether your property could be suitable and what support may be available.

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Horizon Living Group helps you understand your options and connects you with suitable renewable energy specialists.

Heat pumps explained

How does a heat pump work?

A heat pump does not create heat by burning fuel. It moves heat that already exists in the environment and upgrades it to a temperature your home can use. Collect. Compress. Heat.

01
Collect
A heat pump captures low temperature heat from the outside environment. For an air source heat pump, that means heat from the outdoor air.
02
Compress
The system raises the temperature of that heat using a refrigeration cycle, the same principle found in a fridge, working in reverse.
03
Heat your home
The resulting heat is transferred into your home's heating and hot water system, warming radiators, underfloor heating and stored hot water.

A heat pump uses electricity to operate. Because it moves heat rather than generating it from scratch, it can deliver more heat energy than the electrical energy it consumes. How much depends on the system, the weather and how well the installation is designed.

Types of heat pump

Which type of heat pump?

Heat pumps all work on the same principle. What differs is where they collect heat from. For most UK homeowners the conversation starts with air source.

Most commonly considered

Air source heat pumps

Collects heat from the outside air. The outdoor unit is compact and installation is usually the most straightforward option, which is why this is the practical starting point for most UK homes.

For specific properties

Ground source heat pumps

Collects heat from the ground through buried pipework. Ground temperatures stay stable year round, but trenches or boreholes and more extensive works mean this suits fewer properties.

Suitability

Is my home suitable for a heat pump?

Many different types of UK home can work well with a properly designed system. Suitability comes down to how well your home retains heat, whether your radiators or underfloor heating suit lower flow temperatures and whether there is space outside for the unit and inside for a hot water cylinder.

Some homes keep their existing radiators, others need larger ones in certain rooms. A survey answers that before any work begins, so nothing is assumed.

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What an assessment looks at

Insulation and how well your home holds on to heat
Heat loss, which a survey calculates room by room
Radiators or underfloor heating, and whether your emitters suit lower flow temperatures
Outdoor space for the external unit, and somewhere for a hot water cylinder

A specialist can survey your property, calculate its heat loss and explain honestly whether a heat pump suits it before you commit to anything.

A warm modern British living room with a low contemporary radiator beneath the window at dusk

Efficiency and running a heat pump

What is a heat pump like to live with?

A heat pump does not behave quite like a gas boiler. Most households find the differences easy to live with once the system is set up correctly, and many prefer the steadier warmth.

Longer, steadier heating
A heat pump typically runs for longer at lower temperatures. Radiators feel warm rather than very hot, while rooms stay comfortable.
Efficiency varies
Because it moves heat rather than burning fuel, a heat pump can deliver more heat energy than the electricity it uses. How much depends on the weather, the design and the flow temperatures.
Running costs depend on your home
Costs reflect your property, insulation, heating requirements, system design and current energy prices, so no generic figure will tell you what yours would be.
Design and commissioning matter most
A correctly sized, well commissioned system with sensible controls is the single biggest factor in how a heat pump performs day to day.

Heat pump costs

How much does a heat pump cost?

There is no single price for a heat pump installation, because every system is designed around an individual property. The cost reflects the equipment chosen and the work involved, and market pricing changes over time.

Government support may reduce the upfront cost for eligible households, and the most reliable way to understand what a heat pump might cost for your home is to have your property assessed and receive quotes based on your circumstances.

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What affects the cost of a heat pump?

The size of your property and its heat loss
The heat pump specification chosen
Radiator, cylinder or electrical work your home may need
Installation complexity, including siting the outdoor unit

Quotes should always be specific to your property. Be cautious of any price given without a heat loss survey of your home.

Support with the cost

Help with the cost of a heat pump

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme supports eligible homeowners in England and Wales installing qualifying low carbon heating, including air source heat pumps. The grant is normally applied for by the installer and deducted from the upfront cost.

Grant levels and eligibility change over time, so we keep current details on one page rather than repeating them here.

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A wider home energy system

Heat pumps and solar energy

A heat pump runs on electricity, so it can sit naturally within a wider home energy system. Solar PV can generate electricity that contributes towards your household demand, including electricity used by a heat pump when generation and demand coincide.

Battery storage may also form part of the picture, retaining surplus solar generation for use later. Solar panels alone will not power a heat pump throughout the year, particularly during winter when heating demand is highest, but the technologies can complement each other well.

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All black solar panels integrated into the roof of a contemporary British home

Heat pump FAQs

Common questions about heat pumps

Straightforward answers to the questions UK homeowners ask most often. Where the answer depends on your property, system design, location or available support, we say so.

Will a heat pump keep my home warm in winter?

Yes, when correctly designed and sized for your property. Air source heat pumps continue to extract heat from the air in freezing conditions and are widely used in colder climates than the UK. Accurate heat loss calculations, suitable emitters and correct commissioning are what make the difference.

Will I need new radiators or underfloor heating?

It depends. Some homes retain their existing radiators, while others benefit from larger ones in certain rooms. Underfloor heating pairs well with heat pumps but is not required. Heat loss calculations and the flow temperatures your system is designed around give the answer before any work begins.

Do I need a hot water cylinder?

Many heat pump installations include one to store domestic hot water, though requirements vary with the system design, your household's needs and the space available. If you currently have a combi boiler, this is worth discussing early.

How much electricity does a heat pump use?

It varies with your property's heat demand, insulation, system design, the weather and how you use your heating, as well as your energy prices. An assessment of your home gives a far clearer picture than any generic figure.

How much does a heat pump cost, and is there support available?

Costs vary with property size, heat loss, the specification chosen and the work involved, so quotes should always be specific to your home. Government support such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme may reduce the upfront cost for eligible households. See our Energy Grants page for current schemes and eligibility.

Heat pump guides