The UK’s ambitious plan to transition to low-carbon heating by installing heat pumps in homes is significantly behind schedule, raising concerns over meeting climate goals.
The UK’s strategy to switch to low-carbon heating by installing heat pumps in homes is facing challenges, with the National Audit Office (NAO) reporting that the rate of installations is lagging significantly behind the government’s targets. To reach the objective of 600,000 installations annually by 2028, the pace needs to increase 11 times from its current level. This shortfall has raised concerns about the country’s ability to meet its climate targets, including the transition of 8 million homes from fossil fuel boilers to electrified heating by 2035.
The government’s plan, which has faced setbacks including the delay of a key initiative aimed at boosting installation rates, is critical in tackling emissions from home heating—a major source of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. Despite the goal to install 1.6 million heat pumps per year by 2035, the NAO found that only 18,900 units were installed under the grant scheme from May 2022 to December 2023, highlighting the challenge ahead.
High costs and low public awareness are identified as significant barriers to the adoption of heat pumps. The government has attempted to address these issues by increasing grants to £7,500 and implementing a media campaign to educate the public on the benefits of heat pumps, insulation, and solar panels. Nevertheless, the NAO suggests that more needs to be done to engage households, including clearer guidance on the role of hydrogen in the heating transition and a long-term consumer engagement plan to address cost concerns and reduce reliance on gas networks.
As the UK strives to meet its net zero emissions target by 2050, the efficiency and implementation of its heat pump rollout remain under scrutiny.
