/swift-6909/images/Swift_Logo_with_text2.png "Swift Heating Solutions Logo"){kind=logo}
With gas boiler bans on the horizon and energy bills continuing to fluctuate, more UK homeowners are asking the same question: should I switch to a heat pump in 2025, or stick with my gas boiler? This guide gives you the honest answer — covering upfront costs, running costs, efficiency, government grants, and which system actually makes sense for your home.
Before diving into costs and grants, it helps to understand how these systems differ fundamentally. A gas boiler burns natural gas to create heat, which it circulates around your home via radiators and a hot water cylinder. It is a combustion system — it creates heat from fuel.
An air source heat pump, by contrast, works like a refrigerator in reverse. It extracts heat energy from the outdoor air — even when temperatures drop to -15°C — and transfers that warmth into your home. Because it moves heat rather than generating it, a heat pump can deliver 3 to 4 units of heat for every 1 unit of electricity consumed. This ratio is called the Coefficient of Performance (COP), and it is what makes heat pumps so efficient.
This is where gas boilers win on paper. Replacing a boiler typically costs between £2,000 and £4,000 installed. A new air source heat pump installation, by comparison, costs between £8,000 and £15,000 before grants — but that picture changes significantly once government support is factored in.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) — the UK government's primary heat pump grant programme — currently offers £7,500 off the cost of an air source heat pump installation. This brings the effective out-of-pocket cost much closer to a boiler replacement, typically to between £3,000 and £8,000 for most homes depending on system size, property insulation and whether new radiators or underfloor heating is required.
This is the question most homeowners ask, and the answer depends on your specific circumstances. Electricity currently costs more per unit than gas in the UK. However, because a heat pump is 300–400% efficient (compared to a gas boiler's 90–95% efficiency), it uses far less energy to produce the same amount of heat.
For a well-insulated UK home with a properly sized heat pump, annual heating bills are broadly comparable to gas — and in some cases lower, particularly as the electricity-to-gas price ratio narrows. Homes with solar panels see even greater savings, as they can run their heat pump on free solar electricity during daylight hours. The Energy Savings Trust estimates that switching from an old gas boiler to a heat pump can save between £100 and £1,000 per year depending on the home, the previous system, and energy tariffs.
The short answer is: not yet banned, but phasing out. The UK government had originally planned to ban new gas boiler installations in new-build homes from 2025. Following a review, this target was adjusted — new homes built from 2025 should be "heat pump ready," but the gas boiler phase-out date has been pushed back. However, the direction of travel is clear.
Gas boilers will eventually be phased out of UK homes. The government is committed to decarbonising heating as part of its net zero targets, and heat pumps are the primary technology being promoted for low-carbon home heating. If you are replacing an ageing boiler now, choosing a heat pump means you are installing a system that is future-proof — one that will not be subject to future efficiency levies, fossil fuel price spikes, or potential retrofit obligations.
A heat pump produces zero direct carbon emissions at the point of use. Its overall carbon footprint depends on the carbon intensity of the UK electricity grid. In 2025, the UK grid is significantly cleaner than a decade ago, with renewables — wind, solar, and hydro — accounting for an increasing share of generation. As the grid continues to decarbonise toward its 2035 clean power target, heat pumps will become progressively greener over time without any changes to your system.
A gas boiler, by contrast, burns methane which produces CO2 — a direct greenhouse gas emission every time your heating turns on. Even the most efficient condensing gas boiler cannot eliminate these emissions. Today, running a heat pump in the UK produces roughly half the carbon dioxide of a gas boiler for the same heat output, and that advantage will grow year on year as the grid gets greener.
Heat pumps work best in homes that are reasonably well insulated. This does not mean your home needs to be brand new or have perfect insulation — the majority of UK homes built after the 1980s can accommodate a heat pump well. Key factors include good loft insulation, double glazing, and ideally cavity or solid wall insulation. An MCS certified installer like Swift Heating Solutions will carry out a full heat loss survey before recommending a system, to ensure the heat pump is correctly sized.
Heat pumps work particularly well with underfloor heating, as they deliver a lower flow temperature that underfloor heating systems are designed around. They also work effectively with modern, well-sized radiators. If your current radiators are undersized, they may need upgrading — your installer can assess this as part of the design process.
For most UK homeowners in 2025, a heat pump is the better long-term choice — but it requires the right conditions and the right installer. Here is a quick summary to help you decide:
Choose a heat pump if: your home has reasonable insulation, you want to reduce your carbon footprint, you are planning to stay in the property long-term, you want to benefit from the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant, or you are replacing a boiler that is over 10–15 years old.
Stick with gas for now if: your current boiler is relatively new (under 5 years old), you are planning to sell the property in the near term, or your home has very poor insulation that cannot be improved cost-effectively.
The key message is this: the economics of heat pumps in the UK have never been better, thanks to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant, improving technology, and a cleaner electricity grid. A well-designed system installed by an MCS certified installer will heat your home comfortably, reduce your bills, and cut your carbon emissions significantly.
Swift Heating Solutions are MCS certified heat pump installers based in Bournemouth, covering Poole, Dorset, and the surrounding areas. We carry out free heat loss assessments, handle your Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant application, and install Daikin air source heat pumps to the highest standard. Our team can have a heat pump installed and running in your home typically within 2–3 days.
Get your free instant estimate online, or call us on 01202 911 290 to speak to our team about switching from a gas boiler to a heat pump. We cover Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch, Wimborne, and all of Dorset.