Brits are being urged to make one switch to save hundreds on their energy bills every year. Octopus Energy recently surveyed more than 1,700 households* in the UK following the coldest days of winter - to see how those with a heat pump fared. The majority (63 per cent) of former gas boiler users reported that their heat pump made their home more comfortable. 83 per cent of all surveyed said they would also recommend switching to a heat pump to friends and family. When it comes to cutting down our bills, Octopus Energy advised setting up a dedicated smart tariff that would make your heat pump 'cheaper to run' compared to a gas boiler. This is backed by two-thirds (69 per cent) of respondents who claimed their heat pump was the same cost or cheaper to run than their previous gas boiler.
"As temperatures plummeted, heat pump performance soared," said Alex Schoch at Octopus Energy. "This survey confirms what customers tell us every day: heat pumps are just as good if not better at keeping their houses cosy. And our innovative tariffs mean they're better for wallets too. Even when snow and sleet were dumped across the UK, heat pumps remained robust and proved themselves as a cost-effective alternative to gas boilers.".
If the government scraps social and environmental levies from electricity bills, as it is being urged by many firms to do, consumers would witness even higher savings. An independent report by Cornwall Insight and the MCS Foundation last year found getting rid of the levies would create a 'significant incentive' for the switch to zero-carbon heating such as heat pumps. "For dual fuel households, savings would amount to between £130-£200," it added.
Want the latest money-saving news and top deals sent straight to your inbox? Sign up to our Money Newsletter. It can currently cost more than £10,000 to buy and install an air source heat pump, meaning it's simply inaccessible to many. However, the government is currently offering grants of up to £7,500 under its Boiler Upgrade Scheme. To be eligible, you must own the property you're applying for (including if it's a business or rented out to tenants) and have to replace fossil fuel heating systems such as oil, gas, electric, or LPG. "You're still eligible if you've already had funding to make your property more energy efficient, for example by insulating it," Gov UK states. "Your installer must commission and install the heat pump within 120 days of applying for the grant or it will not be eligible.".
You can see if your property is eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme here. *Survey of 1,750 Octopus Energy customers who had a new heat pump installed in their home between 1st April and 31st December 2024. Survey carried out by Octopus Energy between 15th and 21st January 2025. Includes savings from no longer having to pay standing charges for gas (when a gas meter is removed). These are estimated savings at 3,083 kWh annual heat pump consumption and 2,700 kWh other home electricity consumption (Ofgem medium home).
