What is the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant?

It's a government grant that pays £7,500 off the cost of a new air source heat pump. It's paid directly to your MCS-certified installer, so it comes off your quote — you don't claim it back. There's no income means test, and it covers most of the cost of a typical heat pump installation.

Will a heat pump work with my old radiators?

Often yes, but heat pumps run at a lower flow temperature than a gas boiler, so for peak efficiency you may need bigger radiators or some insulation upgrades. Installers quote this as part of the job. High-temperature heat pumps like the Daikin Altherma 3H HT (70°C flow) suit older, draughtier homes better.

What does SCOP actually mean?

SCOP (Seasonal Coefficient Of Performance) is the heat pump's efficiency over a whole heating season — how many units of heat it produces per unit of electricity. A SCOP of 5 means you get 5kW of heat for every 1kW of electricity used. Higher is better and cheaper to run.

Are heat pumps noisy?

Outdoor units typically run at 37-52 dB — about as loud as a modern fridge or quiet conversation. Models like the Vaillant aroTHERM plus (down to 37 dB) and Octopus Cosy 6 are among the quietest. Proper siting away from bedrooms keeps the noise well within planning-permitted levels.

Can a heat pump cool my home too?

Yes — and this is the huge UK advantage. Air source heat pumps are reversible, so the same unit that heats in winter can run your radiators or underfloor cooling in summer. That makes one investment do the work of both a boiler and an air conditioner.

Air source heat pumps · 2026 UK guide

The 10 best heat pumps in the UK, compared

We’ve ranked the top air source heat pumps by efficiency (SCOP), noise, refrigerant and real price after the £7,500 government grant. Find the model that fits your home — and get free quotes from approved installers who cover your postcode.

£7.5k

Boiler Upgrade Scheme

Every eligible homeowner gets £7,500 off a new heat pump — no income means test, paid direct to your installer. Most prices on this page are quoted after this grant.

How the grant works →

Heat pump comparison table

Figures are manufacturer spec-sheet data, with prices as typical installed ranges after the £7,500 BUS grant.

Unit	SCOP	Noise	Refrigerant	Flow temp	Price after grant	Warranty	Best for
Vaillant aroTHERM plus Best overall	5.03	37–43 dB	R290	75°C	£4,500 – £9,000	7 years	Best overall — class-leading efficiency and SCOP above 5
Mitsubishi Ecodan HyperCore Best in the cold	4.5	38–46 dB	R32	60°C	£4,000 – £9,500	5 years	Best cold-weather performance — keeps working down to -28°C
Daikin Altherma 3H HT Best for old homes	4.6	40–48 dB	R32	70°C	£4,200 – £9,000	5 years	Best for older homes — high flow temp suits uninsulated/historic properties
Samsung EHS Mono HT Quiet Best value	4.3	39–48 dB	R32	65°C	£3,500 – £7,500	5 years	Best value — the rebate then short warranty cover the most for less
Panasonic Aquarea L-Series Best compact	4.4	40–49 dB	R32	75°C	£4,500 – £9,000	5 years	Best compact footprint — a small monobloc that fits tight side access
Grant Aerona³ 290 Best UK support	4.7	42–50 dB	R290	65°C	£3,800 – £8,000	5 years	Best UK support — an Irish/British brand with a dense service network
Octopus Cosy 6 Best tariff bundle	4.5	38–45 dB	R290	65°C	£2,500 – £4,500	8 years	Best tariff bundle — cheapest to run on Octopus's Cosy smart tariff
Worcester Bosch 4000/Greenstore Best brand recognition	4.2	43–52 dB	R32	60°C	£4,500 – £10,000	5 years	Best brand recognition — a name installers and homeowners already trust
Nibe S-Series Best premium custom	4.8	40–48 dB	R290	75°C	£4,800 – £10,000	5 years	Best for custom heating systems — Swedish reliability and a flexible range
Baxi HP60 Prime Best budget option	4.1	42–52 dB	R32	65°C	£3,500 – £7,000	5 years	Best value entry point — a well-known local brand at a gentle starting price

Vaillant aroTHERM plus

Best overall

SCOP

5.03

Noise: 37–43 dB
Refrigerant: R290
Flow temp: 75°C
Warranty: 7 years

Price after grant

£4,500 – £9,000

Best overall — class-leading efficiency and SCOP above 5

Mitsubishi Ecodan HyperCore

Best in the cold

SCOP

4.5

Noise: 38–46 dB
Refrigerant: R32
Flow temp: 60°C
Warranty: 5 years

Price after grant

£4,000 – £9,500

Best cold-weather performance — keeps working down to -28°C

Daikin Altherma 3H HT

Best for old homes

SCOP

4.6

Noise: 40–48 dB
Refrigerant: R32
Flow temp: 70°C
Warranty: 5 years

Price after grant

£4,200 – £9,000

Best for older homes — high flow temp suits uninsulated/historic properties

Samsung EHS Mono HT Quiet

Best value

SCOP

4.3

Noise: 39–48 dB
Refrigerant: R32
Flow temp: 65°C
Warranty: 5 years

Price after grant

£3,500 – £7,500

Best value — the rebate then short warranty cover the most for less

Panasonic Aquarea L-Series

Best compact

SCOP

4.4

Noise: 40–49 dB
Refrigerant: R32
Flow temp: 75°C
Warranty: 5 years

Price after grant

£4,500 – £9,000

Best compact footprint — a small monobloc that fits tight side access

Grant Aerona³ 290

Best UK support

SCOP

4.7

Noise: 42–50 dB
Refrigerant: R290
Flow temp: 65°C
Warranty: 5 years

Price after grant

£3,800 – £8,000

Best UK support — an Irish/British brand with a dense service network

Octopus Cosy 6

Best tariff bundle

SCOP

4.5

Noise: 38–45 dB
Refrigerant: R290
Flow temp: 65°C
Warranty: 8 years

Price after grant

£2,500 – £4,500

Best tariff bundle — cheapest to run on Octopus's Cosy smart tariff

Worcester Bosch 4000/Greenstore

Best brand recognition

SCOP

4.2

Noise: 43–52 dB
Refrigerant: R32
Flow temp: 60°C
Warranty: 5 years

Price after grant

£4,500 – £10,000

Best brand recognition — a name installers and homeowners already trust

Nibe S-Series

Best premium custom

SCOP

4.8

Noise: 40–48 dB
Refrigerant: R290
Flow temp: 75°C
Warranty: 5 years

Price after grant

£4,800 – £10,000

Best for custom heating systems — Swedish reliability and a flexible range

Baxi HP60 Prime

Best budget option

SCOP

4.1

Noise: 42–52 dB
Refrigerant: R32
Flow temp: 65°C
Warranty: 5 years

Price after grant

£3,500 – £7,000

Best value entry point — a well-known local brand at a gentle starting price

Prices are guide figures typical for a 3–4 bedroom home and include the £7,500 BUS grant where the model qualifies. Always get a site-specific quote — your installer confirms the grant and exact cost.

Get 3 free heat pump quotes

Confirmed MCS-certified installers who cover your postcode — with your £7,500 grant applied to every quote.

Before you pay a penny

You could be £7,500 better off

The government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives every eligible homeowner £7,500 toward a new heat pump — paid straight to your installer, so it comes off your quote. No income means test and it covers most of the cost of a typical air source heat pump.

Check your grant eligibility →

Your name *

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Property type

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How to choose the right heat pump

Efficiency first — SCOP

A SCOP above 4.5 will save you the most on running costs. The Vaillant aroTHERM plus (5.03) and Grant Aerona³ (4.7) lead the pack. Don't over-pay for a modest SCOP gain if your home is well insulated.

Match it to your property

Old draughty homes need a high flow temperature. The Daikin Altherma 3H HT (70°C) is built for them. Newer, well-insulated homes can use a cheaper, low-flow model like the Samsung EHS Mono (60-65°C) and run it very efficiently.

Design the package

A heat pump is a system, not just a unit — radiators, hot water tank and the outdoor siting all matter. That's why a site visit beats reading spec sheets. Get 3 quotes and let approved installers price the full job.

Take the 60-second energy check →

Heat pump questions

FAQ

Heat pump FAQs

What is the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant?: It's a government grant that pays £7,500 off the cost of a new air source heat pump. It's paid directly to your MCS-certified installer, so it comes off your quote — you don't claim it back. There's no income means test, and it covers most of the cost of a typical heat pump installation.
Will a heat pump work with my old radiators?: Often yes, but heat pumps run at a lower flow temperature than a gas boiler, so for peak efficiency you may need bigger radiators or some insulation upgrades. Installers quote this as part of the job. High-temperature heat pumps like the Daikin Altherma 3H HT (70°C flow) suit older, draughtier homes better.
What does SCOP actually mean?: SCOP (Seasonal Coefficient Of Performance) is the heat pump's efficiency over a whole heating season — how many units of heat it produces per unit of electricity. A SCOP of 5 means you get 5kW of heat for every 1kW of electricity used. Higher is better and cheaper to run.
Are heat pumps noisy?: Outdoor units typically run at 37-52 dB — about as loud as a modern fridge or quiet conversation. Models like the Vaillant aroTHERM plus (down to 37 dB) and Octopus Cosy 6 are among the quietest. Proper siting away from bedrooms keeps the noise well within planning-permitted levels.
Can a heat pump cool my home too?: Yes — and this is the huge UK advantage. Air source heat pumps are reversible, so the same unit that heats in winter can run your radiators or underfloor cooling in summer. That makes one investment do the work of both a boiler and an air conditioner.

Cool in summer, heat in winter — one unit

Heat pumps are reversible, so the same system heats your home in winter and cools it through a UK heatwave. Prefer portable cooling? See what’s in stock right now.