Government to Abandon 2035 Gas Boiler Ban Despite Push for Heat Pumps

• 2035 gas boiler ban plans set to be dropped
• Heat pumps adoption remains slow, with only 1% of households using them
• £7,500 subsidy for heat pump installation to be extended

The Government is expected to scrap its plans to ban new gas boilers by 2035, despite ongoing efforts to promote low-carbon heating alternatives like heat pumps. While ministers remain hopeful for widespread adoption of heat pumps, the rollout has been hindered by high costs and low consumer awareness.

Why the Change?

Heat pumps, powered by electricity, cost significantly more than gas boilers, with only 18,900 installed between May and December 2023—falling well short of the target 50,000 installations.

To encourage adoption, the Government plans to extend its £7,500 heat pump subsidy, though details will be outlined in the upcoming “warm homes plan.”

NAO chief Gareth Davies commented: “The Government needs to engage every household to achieve its objective to decarbonise home heating as part of the transition to net zero.”

The National Audit Office has highlighted key issues:

• High upfront costs for heat pumps.
• Lack of public understanding about the benefits of switching.
• Shortfalls in achieving installation targets.

While the ban on new gas boilers may be off the table, the Government still aims to increase adoption of low-carbon heating solutions, leaving the door open for financial incentives and public awareness campaigns.

Tom Church, Co-Founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, remarked: “For many, the upfront costs of heat pumps remain a barrier. Extending subsidies is a step in the right direction, but there’s a long way to go to make this transition viable for most households."