The Government is encouraging rapid adoption of heat pumps through schemes such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. We think the Government should, alongside this, fund a staged retrofit framework to help UK homes become “heat-pump ready” before or alongside heat pump installation grants.

Many UK homes are not yet suitable for efficient heat pump operation due to poor insulation, air leakage and inadequate ventilation. Installing heat pumps before addressing these issues can increase costs, reduce system efficiency and undermine confidence in low-carbon heating. We ask the Government to fund a staged retrofit framework to help homes prepare for heat pumps. This could support improvements such as ventilation upgrades, airtightness improvements and insulation before or alongside heat pump installation. A staged approach could help ensure heat pumps perform effectively while supporting the UK’s transition to low-carbon heating.