Heat pumps: smarter, electric and built for better running costs
Heat pumps are a smarter way to heat your home.
Instead of burning gas, they run on electricity. And instead of creating heat, they move it - which is why they can deliver far more heat for every unit of energy they use. Pair that with a smart tariff, like Cosy Octopus, and you can bring your running costs down too.
Why heat pumps work differently
A typical gas boiler turns about 85% of the energy it uses into heat. Heat pumps flip that on its head. They use electricity to move heat, which means they can deliver multiple units of heat for every unit of electricity used.
How efficiently a heat pump turns electricity into heat is measured in COP (which means ‘Coefficient of Performance’) and is the ratio of heat created over energy input.
So a COP of 3.5 means a heat pump created 3.5 kW of heat for every 1 kW of energy it used. COP is a snapshot of performance at a given time and given weather conditions.
Our fleet of Cosy heat pumps is delivering an average COP of 3.87 (kWh out to kWh in) over the last 90 days.
See our live Cosy heat pump data
If you want to dig deeper, you can explore how heat pumps are performing right now across real homes. Our Cosy Heat Pump Fleet Performance Dashboard shows live results from across the UK - including how many homes are beating gas on running costs.
What our customers have saved
We looked at real data from homes already running their Cosy heat pumps on our Cosy Octopus tariff:
Cosy heat pump customers on the Cosy Octopus tariff saved an average of £200 last year compared to using a gas boiler running at 85% efficiency on our standard variable tariff.
This is based on the actual energy consumption of all Cosy Octopus heat pump customers on a Cosy Octopus tariff between 1 July 2025 and 1 July 2026, using tariff rates at the time.
We compared this to the cost of producing the same amount of heat with a gas boiler operating at 85% efficiency, priced using our Flexible Octopus (standard variable) tariff at the same time. Savings from gas standing charges were included only for customers who had fully removed their gas supply (less than 3% of customers).
Planning to get a heat pump?
Your running costs, and any savings you could make, depend on things like: your system design, how well insulated your home is, how you heat your home and the energy tariff you’re on.
The Cosy Octopus smart tariff
Heat pumps are electric. That means when you use energy matters just as much as how much you use.
That’s where Cosy Octopus comes in.
It works by allowing you to make the most of cheaper, greener periods of electricity each day. This might mean pre-heating your hot water or your home a little earlier than usual, and then once the daily peak in energy demand has passed, turning your heating back on to remain as cosy as ever.
To make the most of the tariff, all you'll need to do is set a schedule around the Cosy dip periods and you'll be good to go. Here are our top tips for how to run your heat pump to maximise savings.
How to join Cosy Octopus
If you have a heat pump, or you're planning to have one installed, switching to Cosy Octopus is easy. Just follow the steps on this page.
Or, if you have other smart tech devices at home, like an EV, solar panels or a battery, a different smart tariff could be a better fit. Check out this quiz to find the right tariff for you.
How to help reduce heating costs
Run your heat pump smartly
Let it heat your home steadily, not in short bursts like a boiler
Use the Cosy Octopus smart tariff
Shift heating into cheaper periods where you can
Go fully electric
Remove your gas supply and you could save around £128/year in standing charges alone. We’re one of the only suppliers to offer this service for free
Get the right setup
A well-designed system in a well-insulated home will always perform better. Our team is on hand to design the right system for your home.
Ready for your personalised quote?
Whether you’re just curious or have done your homework, getting a quote is a simple, stress-free next step.
Smarten up your energy
Learn about our smart tariffs and how they can help you save while staying cosy.
Making heat pumps more accessible
Discover grants, cashback, and payment plans that make heat pumps more accessible.
Homes like yours, stories like this
See what our customers think and how heat pumps are changing homes for the better.
Cosy heat pump customers on the Cosy Octopus tariff saved an average of £200 last year compared to using a gas boiler running at 85% efficiency on our standard variable tariff
This figure is based on the actual energy consumption of all Cosy heat pump customers on a Cosy Octopus tariff between 1 July 2025 and 1 July 2026, using tariff rates at the time.
We compared this to the cost of producing the same amount of heat with a gas boiler operating at 85% efficiency, priced using our Flexible Octopus (standard variable) tariff at the same time.
Savings from gas standing charges were included only for customers who had fully removed their gas supply (less than 3% of customers). Actual savings vary depending on system design, tariff choice, home insulation, and energy use.
Our typical heat pump price is £4,459, which is lower than the national average of £5,600
This is the median post-survey price from all of our heat pump quotes after the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme has been applied, between 01/09/2025 and 28/02/2026. The national average is taken from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme statistics: April 2026 – median cost of installation Q4 2025.
Cut carbon emissions by 82% with a heat pump
This is the typical reduction in heating carbon emissions using an electric powered heat pump compared to a gas boiler.
The carbon breakdown
Gas CO2 (tonnes per year) - 2.42
Electricity CO2 (tonnes per year) - 0.43
Carbon saving (tonnes per year) - 1.99
Data sources and assumptions
Gas Energy Usage (kWh) 11500 (Ofgem medium use gas usage (Jun 2026))
Heat Pump Efficiency 312% (typical seasonal coefficient of performance from a fleet of Octopus high temperature heat pumps)
Gas Boiler Efficiency 85% (The typical gas boiler efficiency from a BEIS study)
Gas fuel emissions of (gCO2/kWh) 210 (SAP 10.2)
Electricity fuel emissions of (gCO2/kWh) 136 (SAP 10.2)
Based on these sources, heat pumps typically produce lower operational emissions when heating the home than gas boilers.
For more information, explore our Octopus Cosy heat pump fleet performance dashboard.
We're the largest heat pump installer on the Boiler Upgrade Scheme
Based on Octopus benchmarking against Ofgem reports from 2024, and we've continued to grow since.
Our customers love their heat pumps!
- 93% of people say it's the same or more comfortable than their previous boiler
- 87% say it costs the same to run or less
- 83% say it's the same noise or less than the previous boiler
- 90% say it's just as easy or easier to maintain
We survey all our heat pump customers 3 months post-installation to see how they find their heat pump compared to their previous gas boiler. Survey results are taken from a sample of 2,837 customers:
Comfort: 93% of people say it is the same or more comfortable than their previous boiler.
Running Costs: 87% say it costs the same to run or less.
Noise: 83% say it is the same noise or less than the previous boiler.
Maintenance: 90% say it is just as easy or easier to maintain.
A heat pump is around 4x more efficient than a gas boiler
Heat pumps don't generate heat by burning fuel. Instead, they transfer existing heat into your home. This means they can deliver multiple units of heat for each unit of electricity used.
Based on performance data from a fleet of installed Octopus Cosy heat pumps, typical real-world seasonal performance (SPF or SCOP) is around 3.6. This means around 3–4 kWh of heat is delivered for every 1 kWh of electricity used (an effective efficiency of 300–400%). By comparison, typical UK domestic gas boilers operate at around 85% efficiency, delivering approximately 0.85 kWh of heat per 1 kWh of gas used. On this basis, a heat pump can be around 4× more efficient than a typical gas boiler.
All our heat pumps are independently tested by the Building Research Establishment (BRE), with SCOP values published on the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) product database. Actual efficiency will vary depending on the property, system design, and usage. For more information, explore our Octopus Cosy heat pump fleet performance dashboard.
The UK's most awarded energy supplier
We've won more awards for customer service than anyone else.
Heat pumps give reliable, consistent heating and hot water
The heat pump user survey report by Nesta from May 2023 summarises that "users are highly satisfied with their heat pumps". It states: "People living in England, Scotland and Wales who own their home and use a heat pump to heat it are satisfied that heat pumps are safe, reliable, quiet heat sources that are effective for space heating and producing hot water." Find the full report here.
The Cosy heat pump is quiet
Heat pump sound power levels are verified by an independent, third-party laboratory as part of the testing process for inclusion on the MCS product database. The laboratory verifies the sound power on the A-weighted decibel curve, as A-weighting closely aligns to how humans perceive "loudness".
All heat pumps are measured using EN14511 standards to ensure uniformity across manufacturers and models. Our Cosy 6 heat pump has a verified sound power level lower than many other heat pumps of the same capacity.
Heat pump heating makes the air healthier in your home
Homes with a heat pump emit far less harmful nitrous oxide (NOx) emissions than those with gas boilers and cookers, significantly reducing asthma and other respiratory illnesses. According to the Sustainable Markets Initiative Cleantech Homes report.
A heat pump can add thousands to your property value
Analysis by the Department of Land Economy at the University of Cambridge suggests a 16% value uplift for new-build homes with enough solar and battery storage to eliminate energy bills. A further study of over five million existing properties indicates a 2-3% value increase for existing homes with solar panels or heat pumps (versus like-for-like gas-heated homes), according to the Sustainable Markets Initiative: Cleantech Homes report, 2024.
As of April 2025, the average house price in the UK is £265,497 according to the Land Registry. Therefore, a 2-3% value increase for an average house priced at £265,497 would be between £5,310 and £7,965.
Heat pumps typically last longer than gas boilers
The expected lifespan of a typical gas boiler is 10–15 years. A heat pump typically has a lifespan of 15–20 years, with UK government research indicating an average of around 20 years. Manufacturer Daikin reports similar ranges. Actual lifespan depends on factors such as installation quality, maintenance, usage patterns, and operating conditions.
Published on 30th September 2023 by:
Aimee Clark
Green heating expert