Free Tool

Heat Pump Running Cost Calculator

What a heat pump would cost to run in your home, and whether it beats your gas, oil, LPG or electric heating at October 2026 prices.

Last updated: 9 October 2026 · Electricity 26.32p/kWh · Gas 7.97p/kWh

Your current heating
What fuel do you use now?
I'd remove the gas supply altogetherNo gas hob or fire. Saves the £108 a year gas standing charge
Annual heating bill: £1,200 Your yearly gas cost including the standing charge.
£500£4,000
kWh a year
Property size Sets the typical install cost. It doesn't change the running cost, which comes from your bill.
Heat pump type
Where is the home? Grants differ across the UK.
Efficiency (SCOP): 3.2 Units of heat for each unit of electricity, averaged over the year. This is the number that decides the result.
2.54.5
Running cost comparison
Your heating now
£1,200
a year
Heat pump, standard tariff
£1,037
saves £163 a year
Heat pump, heat pump tariff
£748
saves £452 a year
Net install cost
£3,500
after the £7,500 grant
Annual cost comparison
Your boiler now
£1,200
Heat pump, standard tariff
£1,037
Heat pump tariff (21.6p)
£748

Not switching yet? You can still cut the bill on the boiler you already own. The first two steps in our energy efficiency bundle cost nothing: turning down the flow temperature and checking your tariff.

Which kind of quote suits you?

Your figures above are an estimate. A survey gives you a real install price and a design SCOP for your home.

"I'd rather deal with one good installer" Get a quote from Blue Ape Renewables, the installer we work with. MCS-certified for heat pumps and registered for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant, fitting air source heat pumps across England, Wales and Scotland. Get a quote →

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Estimates only, not a quote. Uses the October 2026 price cap (electricity 26.32p/kWh, gas 7.97p/kWh plus a 29.68p a day standing charge) and boiler efficiencies of 92% for gas and 90% for oil and LPG. The heat pump tariff figure assumes an average of 21.6p/kWh, after Octopus raised its Cosy rates by about 13.5% on 21 October 2026. Install costs are typical prices before the grant. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant is £7,500, or £9,000 for oil and LPG homes off the gas grid until 31 March 2027, in England and Wales. Scotland uses a Home Energy Scotland grant of up to £7,500. No grant is included for Northern Ireland. How the sums work.

Rates last checked: 9 October 2026 · October price cap explained

How the Heat Pump Calculator Works

The calculator works backwards from your bill. It turns what you spend into the amount of heat your home uses, then works out what a heat pump would need to deliver the same heat.

1
Your bill becomes fuel
We divide your bill by the price of your fuel. For gas we first take off the £108 a year standing charge, because that isn't buying heat.
2
Fuel becomes heat
A boiler loses some energy up the flue. We assume 92% efficiency for gas and 90% for oil and LPG. A £1,200 gas bill is about 12,600 kWh of heat.
3
Heat becomes electricity
A heat pump with a SCOP of 3.2 turns each kWh of electricity into 3.2 kWh of heat, so the same home needs about 3,900 kWh of electricity.
4
Electricity becomes a bill
We price that at 26.32p on a standard tariff and at an average of 21.6p on a heat pump tariff, and compare both with what you pay now.

What Decides Whether a Heat Pump Saves You Money

The SCOP you get

Against gas at today's prices, a heat pump breaks even at a SCOP of about 3.0 on a standard tariff. Field trials put the UK median near 2.8, and well-designed systems reach 3.5 to 4.0. Radiator sizing and flow temperature make the difference. Do you need new radiators? →

Your electricity tariff

Moving from the standard rate to a heat pump tariff averaging 21.6p cuts the running cost by almost a fifth. It is free to switch and matters more than the brand of heat pump. Compare tariffs →

The fuel you replace

Oil, LPG and direct electric heating cost more per unit of heat than gas, so those homes save most. Oil and LPG prices are not capped, so move the price slider to match your last delivery.

How much heat your home loses

Insulation lowers the bill for any heating system and lets a heat pump run at a lower flow temperature, which raises its SCOP. Insulation guide →

What about solar panels? Solar helps, but less than you might hope for heating. Most heat is needed from November to February, when panels produce least. Solar covers hot water and spring and autumn heating well. Model your roof in the solar panel calculator and treat any winter heating contribution as a bonus.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a heat pump cheaper to run than a gas boiler?

It depends on the efficiency you get and the tariff you use. At the October 2026 price cap, heat from a 92% efficient gas boiler costs about 8.7p per kWh. A heat pump on a standard tariff matches that at a SCOP of about 3.0. On a heat pump tariff averaging 21.6p, a SCOP of 2.8 gives heat for about 7.7p per kWh, still cheaper than gas. Removing the gas supply also saves the £108 a year standing charge.

How much does a heat pump cost to run per year?

A typical three-bedroom home needs about 12,000 kWh of heat a year. At a SCOP of 3.2 that takes about 3,750 kWh of electricity, which costs around £990 at the standard rate of 26.32p or around £810 on a heat pump tariff averaging 21.6p.

What is SCOP and what is a good one?

SCOP is the seasonal coefficient of performance: the units of heat a heat pump delivers for each unit of electricity, averaged over a year. Field trials put the UK median near 2.8. A typical modern install reaches about 3.2, and well-designed systems running at low flow temperatures reach 3.5 to 4.0 or more.

Do heat pumps save money compared with oil or LPG?

Usually, yes. With oil at 90p a litre, heat from a 90% efficient oil boiler costs about 9.7p per kWh, and LPG at 80p a litre costs about 12.6p. A heat pump at a SCOP of 3.2 delivers heat for 8.2p on a standard tariff and 6.8p on a heat pump tariff. Oil and LPG prices are not capped, so the saving moves with the market.

How much is the heat pump grant?

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme pays £7,500 towards an air source or ground source heat pump in England and Wales. Homes off the gas grid that heat with oil or LPG get £9,000 for applications made by 31 March 2027. Your installer applies and takes the grant off the quote. In Scotland, Home Energy Scotland offers a grant of up to £7,500 plus an optional interest-free loan. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme does not cover Northern Ireland.

Is there a ban on gas boilers?

No. There is no ban on replacing a gas boiler in an existing home. New homes are being built without gas boilers under the Future Homes Standard, and the government is funding heat pump grants to 2029/30, but you are not required to switch.

How much does a heat pump cost to install?

Typical air source installs cost £9,000 to £17,000 before the grant, depending on the size of the home, so most households pay between £1,500 and £9,500 after the £7,500 grant. Ground source systems cost £18,000 or more because of the groundworks.

Ready for Real Numbers?

An MCS-certified installer will survey your home, size the system and quote a design SCOP. Get a quote from the installer we work with, or compare local installers.

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