The Government appears poised to abandon its proposal to prohibit the installation of new gas boilers from 2035, despite advocating for a transition to heat pumps. Under current plans, home builders will be effectively prohibited from fitting gas central heating and boilers in newly constructed homes as part of the drive to achieve net zero targets.
However, according to the i paper, plans to prevent homeowners of older properties from installing new gas boilers after 2035 are set to be dropped. Heat pumps, which utilise electricity for heating and hot water, are currently adopted by a mere 1 percent of households, despite available grants aimed at reducing their cost.
The expense of purchasing and fitting heat pumps is significantly higher than that of gas boilers, particularly because they require homes to have top-tier insulation to function effectively. Additionally, running on electricity makes heat pumps more costly in terms of household energy bills compared to gas boilers.
The Government appears poised to abandon its proposal to prohibit the installation of new gas boilers from 2035
(Image: Getty)
The Conservatives had pledged a complete ban on all new gas boilers by 2035, with Rishi Sunak stating during his tenure as Prime Minister: “We’ll never force anyone to rip out their existing boiler and replace it with a heat pump. You’ll only ever have to make the switch when you’re replacing your boiler anyway, and even then, not until 2035.”
Prior to the general election, Labour’s Energy Secretary Ed Miliband indicated he would consider abandoning this policy, remarking: “We haven’t stuck with the Government’s 2035 target when you can’t replace your gas boiler. I know that we’ve got to show that heat pumps are affordable and are going to work for people.”
The Government is now set to formally ditch the rule. Later this year, ministers will set out a “warm homes plan” with new details of how the switch to low-carbon heating methods will work. It includes a “future homes standard”, which places stringent rules on developers building new homes.
Instead, all new homes will have to be heated with heat pumps or other forms of renewable-powered heating. But the rules will make it clear that no existing boilers need to be removed, as well as scrapping the 2035 mandate for an end to the sale of new boilers.
The Government declined to comment ahead of the publication of the warm homes plan and future homes standard. Ministers argue that heat pumps can save families money, although some experts worry that they are still unaffordable for most with the average installation cost cited by British Gas of £5,690 even after the subsidy is applied. By contrast, a new gas boiler currently costs about £3,000.
The Government has pledged to cut UK carbon emissions by 81 per cent by 2035 compared to 1990 levels, before hitting net zero emissions in 2050.