Climate change advisers confirm heat pumps will ramp up bills

Tucked away in the small print (page 201 out of 619) the UK’s climate change advisors confirm what many industry experts acknowledge, that ripping out gas boilers in favour of heat pumps, even at today’s record high prices, will push household heating bills up further.

According to the Climate Change Committee, the running costs of heat pumps is 10 per cent higher than that of a gas boiler. At today’s record gas price, that is nearly £100 a year more to run than a gas boiler. This excludes the upfront capital costs, around £10,000 per household that is needed to replace a gas boiler with a heat pump.

CEO of the not-for-profit trade association, Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA), Mike Foster said:

“This data, hidden away from the main headlines, confirms our worst fears. Ripping out your gas boiler for a heat pump will make the cost of living crisis worse. We have been saying this for years and now the Government’s own climate change advisors agree.”

“Consumers are already buckling under the pressure of sky high energy bills. They are braced for further bad news this autumn but those who suggest a heat pump is the answer risk heaping more misery onto ordinary, hard-working families.”

“The Government should be looking at ways of reducing our heating bills, not ramping them up. They have a target of 600,000 heat pumps a year to be fitted into homes by 2030. This will force up heating bills, not just according to our analysis, but also to the Government’s own advisors. It’s time for a re-set.”

“Keeping gas boilers but switching the gas they use to zero carbon hydrogen not only keeps heating bills down, it saves the average household £10,000 too. It’s time for the Government to get moving on this front and stop forcing expensive heat pumps onto people.”