Heat pumps grant extension ‘would cost public £115bn’

REPLACING millions of gas and electric boilers with controversial heat pumps would cost taxpayers £115 billion, a report has warned.

The Government has repeatedly suggested households replace traditional boilers with heat pumps to reduce carbon emissions and has allocated £450million to its new Boiler Upgrade Scheme. However, this scheme will only allow around 90,000 households to replace their boilers.

Extending the scheme in its current form to all homes on the gas grid would cost the public purse £115 billion, the TaxPayers’ Alliance has said.

So-called “air source” heat pumps can cost around £10,000 to purchase and install, according to the Eco Experts, an advice site.

Even with the grant, households would have to spend £5,000 to upgrade, compared with between £2,000 and £4,000 for a new gas boiler, according to Checkatrade.