80 per cent of owners are satisfied with their heat pumps

Heat pumps have been welcomed by the majority of British owners across all property types in the first major nationwide survey.

A new survey by Nesta, the innovation charity, finds that among people who have had a heat pump installed while living in their current home, 81 per cent are as satisfied or more satisfied with heat pumps compared to their previous heating system.

The figure is similar – 83 per cent – when looking at heat pump owners in Victorian or older properties. The similarity across property type and age suggests that heat pumps are likely to be effective across the range of residential property types in Britain.

The survey reveals that while some people take the opportunity to insulate their homes at the same time they get a heat pump installed, this is not universal. Just over half of users who had a heat pump installed also undertook building fabric upgrades, such as loft insulation, wall insulation and double or triple glazing.

Nesta’s analysis of the survey, published today, also finds that satisfaction with heat pumps is high and, overall, satisfaction levels between heat pump and gas boiler users are very similar;

Heat pump owners are particularly likely to prefer their heat pump if they previously used electric heating, oil or LPG boilers – with over 80 per cent as or more satisfied with their heat pumps – but even among those moving from gas boilers, 75 per cent are as or more satisfied with their heat pump;

Heat pump users are more likely to be satisfied with running costs than those using gas boilers, with two thirds of heat pump owners and 59 per cent of gas boiler owners saying they were satisfied;

While heat pump users reported high satisfaction levels overall, they reported lower satisfaction with ease of use and control compared to gas boiler users, with 74 per cent  ‘fairly’ or ‘very’ satisfied, compared to 88 per cent of gas boiler users.

Satisfaction is highest among people who chose to install a heat pump in their own homes, although the majority of those moving into a new build or existing property with a heat pump also say they are as or more satisfied with their heat pump. The survey suggests that heat pump ‘inheritors’ – who move into homes with heat pumps already installed – would benefit from more information on how to use their systems, as many had very little awareness of heat pumps before moving into their properties. 

“It’s time to put to rest outdated ideas that older homes don’t support heat pumps,” Madeleine Gabriel, director of sustainable future at Nesta, said. “The rollout of heat pumps across all property types in Britain is proving that the age of your house doesn’t have to be a big factor when deciding whether to get a greener heating system.

“Heating homes with fossil fuels like gas contribute as much as 15 per cent of the UK’s carbon emissions and so the switch to heat pumps is crucial for getting to net zero. This is the first time we’ve been able to get a fuller picture of the experiences of people keeping their homes warm with heat pumps, and the high levels of satisfaction are encouraging. 

“With heat pumps getting the thumbs up from those that use them, the Government should redouble its efforts to meet the timetable it has set out for phasing out fossil fuel heating. It should be easier and cheaper for people to opt to replace gas boilers with renewable heating when a boiler reaches the end of its life.”

Nesta is calling for the UK Government to reduce heat pumps costs by committing additional funding for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to support its extension to 2028, exploring options for low-cost government-backed finance, and reducing the price of electricity relative to gas;

Work with industry to come up with ways to reduce the time and disruption associated with installation and make clear, impartial information about heat pumps more easily accessible, so it is easier for people to use their heat pump once they have one;

Ensure the UK meets its stated timetable for phasing out fossil fuel heating: ending gas grid connections for new build homes in 2025, ending new installations of oil and LPG boilers from 2026, and ending new gas boiler installations by 2035 at the latest.