MCS Certified Heat Pump Installers UK

The most common type is the air-to-water heat pump, which extracts heat from outdoor air and transfers it to your wet central heating system. Ground source (geothermal) heat pumps use underground loops and are more efficient but cost more to install. Air-to-air heat pumps provide warm air directly but are less common in UK homes because they don’t heat water. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant covers air-to-water and ground source systems.

A typical air-to-water heat pump system costs £8,000–£14,000 installed, depending on the size of your home and whether you need a new hot water cylinder. Ground source systems are more expensive, typically £12,000–£20,000 due to the borehole or ground loop installation. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides a grant of up to £7,500 for heat pumps. After the grant, the net cost for an air-to-water system can be as low as £500–£6,500.

Heat pumps work best in well-insulated homes because they produce heat at lower temperatures than oil or gas boilers. It is recommended your home achieves an EPC rating of C or better before installation. Most installers will carry out a heat loss calculation to size the system correctly. If your home needs insulation upgrades, separate grants may be available through schemes such as ECO4 or the Great British Insulation Scheme.

Popular brands in the UK include Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric, Samsung, Grant, Panasonic, and Vaillant. Daikin and Mitsubishi are the most widely installed. When comparing quotes, check the SCOP (Seasonal Coefficient of Performance) rating — a higher SCOP means better efficiency. A good air-to-water system should have a SCOP of 3.5 or above, meaning it produces 3.5 kWh of heat for every 1 kWh of electricity.