HOUSEHOLDS looking to make energy improvements will be able to get a grant worth £5,000 to help cover the costs.
From April the cash will be available to replace gas boliers with heat pumps.
As part of the government's plans to slash emissions, households can apply for a heat pump grant ahead of the looming gas boiler ban in 2035.
Heat pumps are a greener way to heat your home – and at a lower cost too.
There are two types of air-source heat pumps, air-to-water systems and air-to-air systems.
Heat pumps heat your home at a lower temperature than gas and oil boilers so they have to be switched on for much longer.
There are also ground source heat pumps that take the heat from underground by pumping water through it in pipes.
If you're planning on getting an air-source heat pump, you could be facing a bill of thousands of pounds.
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It's a big outlay, but there is new help for families to afford one.
Households can get a grant worth up to £5,000 to buy a heat pump.
You'll have to cover the rest of the cost yourself if the heat pump costs more than this.
According to Energy Helpline, air sourced pumps tend to be cheaper, with purchase and installation costs anywhere between £8,000 and £14,000.
Ground sourced heat pumps can cost up to 75% more, at £15,000 to £25,000.
In comparison, the average installation cost of a new boiler in the UK can be between £500 and £1,500, according to Green Match.
But for either, the price will depend on the size and area of your home.
The government has allocated £450 million to dish out these grants under its new Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
It means you'll be paying a similar amount to what you would if you were installing a traditional gas boiler.
Households could benefit in the long-run getting a heat pump installed.
You could save up to £1,975 if you swap your gas boiler for a heat pump, up to £1,465 if you switch from electric heating, and up to £735 if you ditch oil fired heaters.
The scheme will be available to 30,000 households a year, according to Money Saving Expert, in England and Wales.
You won't be able to apply for the scheme yourself, instead you'll need to find a heat pump installer who will then apply for the cash on your behalf.
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