Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the value for money of expanding the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to include air-to-air heat pumps and heat batteries compared to other low-carbon heating options.

The Government recognise that hydronic heat pumps may not be the most appropriate solution for all properties, especially those that currently have ‘dry’ (non-hydronic) space heating. Therefore, we are supporting air-to-air heat pumps under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) to increase consumer choice and flexibility.

The value for money, costs and benefits of expanding the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to include air-to-air heat pumps will be included in a published Impact Assessment covering the period 2025/6 to 2029/30. This analysis will be updated to incorporate heat batteries closer to the point when they become eligible under the scheme.

An Impact Assessment for period 2022/23 to 2024/25 is already published.