{"id":371065,"date":"2025-03-20T19:35:22","date_gmt":"2025-03-20T18:35:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=371065"},"modified":"2025-03-20T19:35:24","modified_gmt":"2025-03-20T18:35:24","slug":"the-real-reason-why-heat-pumps-are-eye-wateringly-expensive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=371065","title":{"rendered":"The real reason why heat pumps are eye-wateringly expensive"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Generous grants do little to curb climbing costs \u2013 and allow installers to cash in.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cost of fitting a heat pump has risen by a third in six years despite generous government grants \u2013 leading critics to accuse installers of profiteering.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ministers want\u00a0600,000 heat pumps fitted each year by 2028<\/a> and hoped to cut the real term costs of installing one by 25pc compared to 2021. The Telegraph<\/a> has the story.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the price of fitting an air-source heat pump actually increased by 33pc, from \u00a39,686 to \u00a312,951 in the six years to January 2025, according to Telegraph analysis of data from the trade standards body, MCS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is despite the fact the Government has since introduced grants<\/a> worth up to \u00a37,500 for each household \u2013 which were paid directly to installers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Industry experts blamed a host of factors for the spike such as the rising cost of copper and energy, while a government spokesman said the figures did not account for inflation. But even after factoring in inflation, the cost of installing a heat pump has still risen \u00a3700 \u2013 despite promises from successive governments it would fall in real terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It has led critics to accuse installers of cashing in on the grants which allowed them to pass more costs on to consumers.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dramatic charts show that between March and April 2022, the same month the first Government grant was introduced, the cost of installing a heat pump suddenly rose by 25pc to \u00a31,465 per kW. It meant a 4kW heat pump cost almost \u00a36,000 while a large 15kW device was upwards of \u00a321,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MCS claimed this jump was due to a difference in sample size, as well as the end of the renewable heating incentive \u2013 the precursor to the grant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mike Foster, of the Energy Utilities Alliance trade body, told The Telegraph: \u201cWhen subsidies increase, we always see sales volumes follow, that\u2019s just basic economics. But it is also likely that price competition is less keen and as a result average costs drift upwards. That\u2019s just basic human nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGiven it is larger companies primarily benefitting from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, having a dedicated workforce fitting large numbers of heat pumps, we should see average costs of installations falling \u2013 indeed that is what the Government predicted would happen \u2013 it\u2019s called the \u2018learning curve\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut the data suggests this is not happening anywhere near fast enough. Either the learning curve isn\u2019t working for heat pump installations, which would be unusual, or companies are taking higher profit margins on each job. Both require closer examination by Ministers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Successive governments have desperately tried to entice households into switching to a heat pump<\/a> by making them cheaper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In November, ministers announced that a planned clean heat market mechanism \u2013 which would see manufacturers fined for not selling enough heat pumps \u2013 was to be drastically scaled back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read the full story here<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Generous grants do little to curb climbing costs \u2013 and allow installers to cash in.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":371068,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","_crdt_document":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691833932,691818198,691818154],"class_list":{"0":"post-371065","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"hentry","7":"category-uncategorized","8":"tag-energy-utilities-alliance","9":"tag-heat-pumps","10":"tag-net-zero","12":"fallback-thumbnail"},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-522.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1ywV","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":298988,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=298988","url_meta":{"origin":371065,"position":0},"title":"Piddling in the\u00a0Wind","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"01\/29\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"It\u2019s early days, but it doesn\u2019t seem to have worked with a rightly sceptical public. There was a bit of an uptick in October, though not at the levels that the Government might have hoped for, then interest fell off in November, and again in December.","rel":"","context":"In \"biomass boilers\"","block_context":{"text":"biomass boilers","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=biomass-boilers"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/04568975.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/04568975.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/04568975.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/04568975.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":400823,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=400823","url_meta":{"origin":371065,"position":1},"title":"Taxpayers Forked Out \u00a3700 Million For Heat Pump Subsidies In Last\u00a0Year","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"09\/08\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Energy Secretary spends more on net zero push than savings from cutting winter fuel payment","rel":"","context":"In \"Energy Secretary Ed Miliband\"","block_context":{"text":"Energy Secretary Ed Miliband","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=energy-secretary-ed-miliband"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-4.-Juni-2025-11_48_51.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-4.-Juni-2025-11_48_51.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-4.-Juni-2025-11_48_51.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/ChatGPT-Image-4.-Juni-2025-11_48_51.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":282728,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=282728","url_meta":{"origin":371065,"position":2},"title":"Why heat pumps will never work in\u00a0Britain","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"10\/10\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Heat pumps are just another green pipe dream. From NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT By Paul Homewood \u00a0 h\/t Ian Magness Another damning report on heat pumps: Heat pumps are poorly suited to British homes and the Government\u2019s relentless drive to install them will cause \u201cuproar\u201d across the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"electricity\"","block_context":{"text":"electricity","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=electricity"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0Winter-Heat-Pump-Failure-Repair-1030x714-1.webp?fit=1030%2C714&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0Winter-Heat-Pump-Failure-Repair-1030x714-1.webp?fit=1030%2C714&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0Winter-Heat-Pump-Failure-Repair-1030x714-1.webp?fit=1030%2C714&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/10\/0Winter-Heat-Pump-Failure-Repair-1030x714-1.webp?fit=1030%2C714&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":271214,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=271214","url_meta":{"origin":371065,"position":3},"title":"The U.K. Is Banning Gas Boilers by 2035, but Are Heat Pumps Really the Answer?","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"08\/03\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"Heat pumps are being hailed as the solution to the U.K.\u2019s decarbonising its homes by 2035 when a ban on the sale of new gas boilers kicks in. But their expense, noise, high costs and installation challenges are just some of the hurdles they need to overcome if they are\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Climate change\"","block_context":{"text":"Climate change","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-change"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/0heating-options-in-florida-1109x800-1.png?fit=1109%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/0heating-options-in-florida-1109x800-1.png?fit=1109%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/0heating-options-in-florida-1109x800-1.png?fit=1109%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/0heating-options-in-florida-1109x800-1.png?fit=1109%2C800&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/0heating-options-in-florida-1109x800-1.png?fit=1109%2C800&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":293374,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=293374","url_meta":{"origin":371065,"position":4},"title":"Army Shun Heat Pumps In Favour Of \u00a320,000 Electric\u00a0Boilers!","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"01\/01\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"As for the claim that it is cheaper to run than a gas boiler, they are gaslighting. Electricity prices are about four times those of gas, and there are no efficiency savings with a Cylo, which also cannot provide hot water, meaning yet more costs.","rel":"","context":"In \"Electric\u00a0Boilers\"","block_context":{"text":"Electric\u00a0Boilers","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=electric-boilers"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/image-18.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/image-18.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/image-18.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/image-18.png?fit=1024%2C1024&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":253507,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=253507","url_meta":{"origin":371065,"position":5},"title":"Low heat pump uptake \u2018an embarrassment\u2019","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"04\/18\/2023","format":false,"excerpt":"A flagship green energy scheme to encourage homeowners to ditch their gas boilers has been branded an \u201cembarrassment\u201d after uptake in the first year was only a third of the planned level.","rel":"","context":"In \"biomass\"","block_context":{"text":"biomass","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=biomass"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/00GettyImages-510960216-1777x1350-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C912&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/00GettyImages-510960216-1777x1350-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C912&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/00GettyImages-510960216-1777x1350-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C912&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/00GettyImages-510960216-1777x1350-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C912&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/00GettyImages-510960216-1777x1350-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C912&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/371065","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=371065"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/371065\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":371070,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/371065\/revisions\/371070"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/371068"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=371065"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=371065"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=371065"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}