DECEMBER/JANUARY 2025 | VOLUME 62 | ISSUE 10


Heating upgrade pledge for up to 300,000 households


The government’s Warm Homes Plan aims to help lower bills and provide cleaner heating solutions for up to 300,000 homes, as well as providing a further boost for the UK heat pump market.


The UK government has announced new measures to support the transition to clean heating in homes, including extra funding for heat pump grants and changes to the Clean Heat Market Mechanism, set to be introduced next year. The Department for Energy


Security and Net Zero has unveiled an expansion of its Warm Homes Plan, aimed at providing energy- effi cient upgrades to up to 300,000 homes in the coming year. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to help families save on energy bills while transitioning to cleaner heating solutions. Key features of the Warm Homes


Plan include financial support for homeowners in England and Wales, who can receive grants of up to £7,500 for heat pump installations through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. The budget for this scheme will see a signifi cant increase, with an additional £30 million allocated for this fi nancial year and nearly doubling the budget to £295 million for the next. In a move to simplify installations, the government will remove the


The industry response to the


one-metre rule that required planning permission for heat pump installations in England. Recent data indicated that 34% of potential heat pump customers were deterred by planning permission requirements. Additionally, low- income households, social housing residents and renters will receive funded energy effi ciency upgrades, including insulation and lowcarbon heating solutions. The investment is also aimed at


bolstering British manufacturing in the clean energy sector, with plans to support the development of a home-grown heat pump industry. This includes a £5 million investment in Ideal Heating, marking the fi rst award from the Heat Pump Investment Accelerator competition (see page 8). In addition, the government


also plans to introduce a reformed Clean Heat Market Mechanism – the scheme, originally devised by the Conservative government, that penalises manufacturers if they fail to sell a percentage of heat pumps


proportional to their fossil fuel boiler sales. The government’s response to


stakeholder feedback includes two key adjustments to the scheme’s design. First, the payment-in- lieu for each missing credit will be reduced from £3,000 to £500 for the fi rst year. Second, the assessment period for boiler sales, which will inform the obligations under the scheme, will now run from 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026, instead of the previous January to December time-frame. There will also be government support available for each heat pump installation that is required under the mechanism over the next two years.


The government says that the


CHMM is essential for encouraging investment and innovation in the heat pump market, which will ultimately support the creation of skilled, low-carbon jobs. It aims to establish a competitive supply chain for heat pump manufacturing, promoting affordability accessibility for consumers.


and


government’s announcement on the Warm Homes Plan has been generally positive, with leaders from various sectors expressing optimism about the future of heat pump adoption in the UK. Executives emphasise the importance of increased funding for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, the removal of planning barriers, and the introduction of the Clean Heat Market Mechanism as pivotal steps towards decarbonising home heating. Charlotte Lee, CEO of the Heat Pump Association, comments: “The package of measures announced by the government demonstrates their commitment to accelerating the decarbonisation of heat in the UK. We welcome the clarity provided to the market on the long-anticipated Clean Heat Market Mechanism and the confi rmation of additional funds for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, both of which enable the sector to invest with confi dence.” Ian Rippin, CEO at MCS


(Microgeneration Certification Scheme), adds: “The con- firmation of the CHMM is a positive step for the sector, and the changes to support the scaling-up of the industry address concerns previously expressed. We look forward to continuing our work with the scheme to ensure that heat pump installations are to industry-recognised standards and are accurately recorded and reported. This is crucial in giving everyone confi dence in the technology.”


Continued on page 4


Inside this issue phamnews.co.uk


Gadgets & Tools See page 11


Winning entries See page 15


COMPETITION


Win with Durapipe as it marks its 70th anniversary


See page 42


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