Heat Pump Sceptic? Six Common Objections Checked

Plenty of people are sceptical about heat pumps, and some scepticism is healthy: a heat pump is a large purchase, and the savings depend on your home. This page takes the six objections we see most often and checks each one against published evidence and current prices. Some objections turn out to be wrong, some are exaggerated, and one (running costs against gas) is closer to the truth than enthusiasts admit.

"They Don't Work in Cold Weather"

Air source heat pumps keep extracting heat from outdoor air well below freezing. What changes is efficiency: the colder it is, the less heat you get per unit of electricity, and the unit runs defrost cycles on cold, damp days. That is why a proper installation starts with a room-by-room heat loss calculation and sizes the heat pump for your area's design temperature. A correctly sized system keeps the house warm in a cold snap; an undersized one does not. See our guide to heat pumps for cold UK climates.

"They Cost More to Run Than Gas"

Against mains gas, this objection is partly fair. On our standard example (11,500 kWh of heat a year, a heat pump with a seasonal COP of 3.2, and a 90% efficient gas boiler), a heat pump costs about £946 a year at the October 2026 price cap (electricity 26.32p/kWh) against about £1,018 for gas (7.97p/kWh), on unit rates. That is a small saving, and a poorly commissioned system running at a lower COP can cost more than gas. Dropping the gas standing charge adds about £108 a year if you disconnect gas completely.

Against oil, LPG and electric storage heating the picture is very different, and savings are much larger. Our worked savings examples by previous fuel set out the sums.

"You Have to Replace Every Radiator"

Usually not. Heat pumps run most efficiently at lower flow temperatures, so some radiators may be too small for the rooms they heat. The installer checks each room's heat loss against the radiator's output at the design flow temperature and replaces only those that fall short. See do I need new radiators for a heat pump.

"They're Noisy"

Modern units are designed to be quiet, but they are not silent, and position matters. In England, an air source heat pump installed under permitted development must comply with the MCS Planning Standards, including the MCS 020(a) noise calculation at the nearest neighbour's window. Keep the unit away from bedrooms (yours and your neighbours'), and ask the installer to show you the noise calculation.

"They're Too Expensive, Even With the Grant"

A heat pump does cost more upfront than a replacement gas boiler. DESNZ figures for 2026 Q2 put the median installed price of an air source heat pump at £12,908 before the grant, with most between £11,128 and £15,627. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme takes £7,500 off (England and Wales), leaving a median of about £5,400. If you are replacing oil or LPG in a home without mains gas, the grant is £9,000 for an air-to-water or ground source heat pump until 31 March 2027, leaving about £3,900. Whether that is worth it depends on your fuel, your home and how long you plan to stay.

"It's a Government Scam"

Heat pumps are a mature technology used widely across Europe. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is a government grant administered by Ofgem, the installer must be MCS certified, and the grant is deducted from your quote rather than paid to you. The real risk is not a scam but a poor installation, which is why getting several quotes and checking for installer red flags matters.

Objections vs Evidence

How to Test Your Scepticism

• See one in person. If someone you know has a heat pump, ask to see their bills and the system's own data, including in winter.
• Get at least 3 quotes from MCS-certified installers, each based on a site survey and a room-by-room heat loss calculation.
• Run your own numbers with your actual fuel use and tariff, using our cost calculator.
• Read the guide on whether heat pumps are worth it with an open mind, including the cases where they are not.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do heat pumps work in cold weather?

Yes. Air source heat pumps keep working below freezing; their efficiency falls as the outdoor temperature drops, which is why the installer sizes the system for your area's design temperature using a room-by-room heat loss calculation.

Are heat pumps cheaper to run than gas?

Only slightly, at current prices. On our standard example (11,500 kWh of heat, seasonal COP 3.2, 90% gas boiler) a heat pump costs about £946 a year at the October 2026 price cap against about £1,018 for gas on unit rates. A poorly set-up system can cost more than gas. Savings against oil, LPG and electric heating are much larger.

Do I need to replace all my radiators?

Usually not all of them. The installer checks each room's heat loss against the radiator's output at the heat pump's lower flow temperature, and some rooms may need larger radiators.

Are heat pumps noisy?

Modern units are designed to be quiet, and in England an installation under permitted development must pass the MCS 020(a) noise calculation. Position matters: keep the unit away from neighbours' windows.

Are heat pumps too expensive even with the grant?

They cost more than a gas boiler upfront. DESNZ figures put the median installed air source heat pump at £12,908 before the grant (2026 Q2), about £5,400 after the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant, or £3,900 with the £9,000 grant for oil and LPG homes off the gas grid (until 31 March 2027).

What is the best way to test my scepticism?

Ask someone who has a heat pump to show you their bills and system data, get several quotes from MCS-certified installers, and run the numbers for your own home.