Warm homes plan omits gas boiler ban but boosts heat pumps

The UK’s £15bn warm homes plan does not set a ban or 2035 phaseout for new gas boilers and includes £2.7bn for a boiler upgrade scheme to support heat pump installations.

The government has published a £15 billion warm homes plan that aims to upgrade up to 5 million homes and cut household energy bills by as much as £1,000 a year. The plan does not set a phaseout date or ban for new gas boilers, but allocates significant funding for insulation, solar, batteries and heat pumps. Ministers say the package is intended to lift up to 1 million households out of fuel poverty and to extend clean-energy access to low-income households. The programme includes a mix of grants, low-cost loans and new financing mechanisms to encourage uptake and support the installation industry. Key points: - The programme totals £15 billion and targets upgrades to up to 5 million dwellings. - £5 billion is earmarked for upgrades for people on low incomes, including insulation, solar, batteries and heat pumps. - £2.7 billion is allocated to the boiler upgrade scheme, which offers up to £7,500 towards replacing a gas boiler with a heat pump. - £2 billion is set aside for low-cost loans for homeowners, and a further £2.7 billion is for innovative finance through a warm homes fund. - £1.1 billion is allocated for heat networks, and there is around £1.5 billion for other funding including support for devolved administrations. Summary: The plan is presented as a large public investment intended to reduce fuel poverty and lower household energy costs, with government forecasts such as lifting about 1 million households out of fuel poverty and potential savings of up to £1,000 a year for some households. Undetermined at this time.