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Which type of heat pump is right for your home?

Six kinds of heat pump are sold in the UK, and they differ widely in cost, efficiency, grant value and where they make sense. Here's an honest, side-by-side comparison.

By the heatpumpcosts.co.uk editorial team

Air source (ASHP)

The default for most UK homes

Install: £8,000 – £14,000
After grant: £500 – £6,500
Running: £850 – £1,850/yr
SCOP: 4.0 – 4.8

High-temperature ASHP

Keeps your existing radiators

Install: £9,500 – £15,000
After grant: £2,000 – £7,500
Running: £1,000 – £2,000/yr
SCOP: 3.4 – 4.2

Ground source (GSHP)

Highest efficiency, biggest investment

Install: £18,000 – £35,000
After grant: £10,500 – £27,500
Running: £1,200 – £2,200/yr
SCOP: 4.5 – 5.5

Water source (WSHP)

Rare, but superbly efficient

Install: £15,000 – £30,000
After grant: £7,500 – £22,500
Running: £1,100 – £2,000/yr
SCOP: 4.5 – 5.5

Hybrid (boiler + ASHP)

A bridge, not a full switch

Install: £6,000 – £10,000
After grant: No BUS grant
Running: £950 – £1,500/yr
SCOP: 3.5 – 4.2

Air-to-air

Heating + cooling, no hot water

Install: £3,000 – £8,000
After grant: £500 – £5,500 (£2,500 grant)
Running: Heating only — no hot water
SCOP: 4.0 – 4.5

In detail

The pros, cons and the catch for each.

Air source (ASHP)

Most UK homes with outdoor space for a unit.

Install
£8,000 – £14,000
After grant
£500 – £6,500
Running
£850 – £1,850/yr
SCOP
4.0 – 4.8

Pros

  • Lower install cost
  • Quick installation (2–5 days)
  • No groundworks needed

Watch-outs

  • Slight drop in efficiency in very cold weather
  • External unit needs clear airflow

High-temperature ASHP

Older or solid-wall homes where replacing radiators is impractical.

Install
£9,500 – £15,000
After grant
£2,000 – £7,500
Running
£1,000 – £2,000/yr
SCOP
3.4 – 4.2

Pros

  • Flow temperatures of 65–75°C
  • Keeps most existing radiators
  • Full £7,500 grant applies

Watch-outs

  • Lower efficiency at high flow temps
  • Higher running cost
  • Fewer models available

Ground source (GSHP)

Larger rural properties with land for boreholes or trenches.

Install
£18,000 – £35,000
After grant
£10,500 – £27,500
Running
£1,200 – £2,200/yr
SCOP
4.5 – 5.5

Pros

  • Highest efficiency, especially in winter
  • 20-year-plus lifespan
  • Silent operation indoors

Watch-outs

  • Major groundworks
  • Long install (1–3 weeks)
  • Much higher upfront cost

Water source (WSHP)

Homes beside a river, lake or borehole water source.

Install
£15,000 – £30,000
After grant
£7,500 – £22,500
Running
£1,100 – £2,000/yr
SCOP
4.5 – 5.5

Pros

  • Grant-eligible at the full £7,500
  • Very stable source temperature
  • Efficiency close to ground source

Watch-outs

  • Needs abstraction consent
  • Very few suitable properties
  • Specialist installers only

Hybrid (boiler + ASHP)

Poorly insulated homes not ready for full electrification.

Install
£6,000 – £10,000
After grant
No BUS grant
Running
£950 – £1,500/yr
SCOP
3.5 – 4.2

Pros

  • Lower install cost
  • Boiler covers peak winter load
  • Easier retrofit

Watch-outs

  • Still burns gas/oil
  • Not eligible for the £7,500 grant
  • More complex controls

Air-to-air

Flats, extensions, or homes with separate hot water (immersion / solar thermal).

Install
£3,000 – £8,000
After grant
£500 – £5,500 (£2,500 grant)
Running
Heating only — no hot water
SCOP
4.0 – 4.5

Pros

  • Cheapest option
  • Doubles as air conditioning in summer
  • £2,500 BUS grant from April 2026

Watch-outs

  • No hot water
  • Smaller grant than air or ground source
  • Air vents in every room

Quick pick

Which one fits your home?

A rough rule of thumb — your installer's heat-loss survey is the only way to be sure.

Typical UK semi or terrace

Mains gas, reasonable insulation, a bit of outdoor space.

Likely pick

Air source (ASHP)

Best price-to-performance with the full £7,500 grant.

Rural or off-grid home

On oil or LPG, land for boreholes, planning to stay long-term.

Likely pick

Ground source (GSHP)

Highest upfront cost, lowest running cost — and off-gas-grid homes can claim £9,000 until March 2027.

Older solid-wall home

Big radiators already, replacing them would mean lifting floors.

Likely pick

High-temperature ASHP

Runs at 65–75°C so most radiators stay — still the full £7,500 grant.

Flat, extension or garden office

No hot water needed, want cooling in summer.

Likely pick

Air-to-air

Cheapest install, and now carries a £2,500 grant in homes.

FAQs

Frequently asked

Which is better, air source or ground source heat pump?
Air source heat pumps cost less to install (£8k–£14k vs £18k–£35k) and suit most UK homes. Ground source is more efficient in cold weather and lasts longer, but only makes sense if you have land for boreholes or trenches. Both attract the same £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant.
Are hybrid heat pumps eligible for the BUS grant?
No. Hybrid systems that retain a gas or oil boiler are excluded from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. Air-to-water, ground source and water source heat pumps get £7,500, and air-to-air heat pumps in homes get £2,500 following the April 2026 rule change.
Do air-to-air heat pumps get a grant now?
Yes. Since the Boiler Upgrade Scheme regulations were amended in April 2026, air-to-air heat pumps in residential properties qualify for a £2,500 grant. They heat rooms only, so you still need a separate hot water source.
Which type gets the highest grant?
Air-to-water, ground source and water source heat pumps all get £7,500 in England and Wales — or £9,000 in eligible off-gas-grid properties for applications made between 21 July 2026 and 31 March 2027.

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