What is a heat pump?
A heat pump is a highly efficient home heating system powered by electricity. Using trusted technology that's over 160 years old, heat pumps have proven to be popular in even the coldest European climates, with over 23 million heat pumps installed in Europe alone.
Air source heat pumps work by generating energy from the air outside that can be used to heat your home. Providing reliable, sustainable heating and hot water with smart benefits - suitable for installation in most UK homes.
Why get a heat pump?
Air source heat pumps give you comfortable, consistent heating and hot water. But with…
- Less energy: Heat pumps use up to 4x less energy than even the most efficient boilers to generate the same amount of heat.
- Less carbon: That efficiency means you’ll instantly slash your heat carbon footprint by around 83%. Plus, heat pumps run on electricity, which is renewable with Octopus Energy.
- Longer life: A heat pump can last 20 years, up to twice as long as a gas boiler.
I'm already team heat pump. Give me an estimate.
How do heat pumps work?
A heat pump extracts heat from the air outside and brings it into the home using electricity. This means you get a bigger quantity of heat with less electrical power usage.
Heat pumps harness energy from the environment (in our case, from the air). They then use that energy - together with a smidge of electricity - to heat the water in your pipes, and so your home.
Air heat pumps work just like a fridge, but in reverse, by using pressure to cause a refrigerant to change its state from liquid to gas and back again, which enables the refrigerant to transfer the heat energy. See them in action below ⬇️
How much does it cost?
Your final heat pump quote will depend on factors such as the size of the heat pump required and the energy efficiency of your home, so costs for larger or more complex homes will be higher.
The best way to get a cost estimate for your home is to get a quote.
To match your budget, we’ll offer two air source heat pump options: Cosy Turbo (cheaper to install, pricier to run) and Cosy Eco (costs more upfront, cheaper to run).
There are some potential additional costs to consider when getting a heat pump, depending on your home, so check out our FAQs for full details on what is and isn't included in your quote.
What are the running costs of heat pumps?
We’re the largest installer of heat pumps in the UK and we’re obsessed with making heat pumps and their running costs more affordable. A good example is our tailored heat pump smart tariff, Cosy Octopus, that can save you up to £545 a year on heating compared to a gas boiler.
You can do your own heat pump running cost estimations in a minute. Try our heat pump costs and savings calculator.
How much does it cost to install a heat pump in the UK?
We're the UK’s biggest heat pump installer, and we’re on a mission to make them way more affordable. Thanks to the government’s BUS grant, you could get started from just £4,300.
With a massive £50 million investment (yes, we’re even building our own heat pumps!), we’re slashing prices to below the UK average. Most of our quotes come in lower than the UK average of £5,049 (as of Jan '25), meaning more savings for you.
Want to know what a heat pump would cost for your home? It’s super quick, just pop in a few details, and we'll get you an estimate. We’ll crunch the numbers using smart tools like your Energy Performance Certificate. You can check out a full cost breakdown here.
What are the differences between heating with a heat pump and a gas boiler?
A heat pump keeps your home just as cosy, and your water just as hot as a gas boiler, but with a few working differences.
- A heat pump will adjust to the weather automatically
To help you save energy, we set your heat pump to monitor how hot or cold it is outside, and adjust the temperature accordingly.
- Heat pumps take longer to warm up
A heat pump uses cooler water to heat your home, so it will take longer to warm up. You won’t feel an immediate difference like you might be used to with a boiler. It’s best to set your heating to come on before you get home or wake up. The preheating time will depend on your home, so you may need a few trial runs to find the perfect schedule.
- Hot water always takes priority
When it’s time to heat your hot water tank, your heating will switch itself off. When the tank’s ready, the heating will turn itself back on. You don’t need to do anything and you shouldn’t notice too much of a difference in your home’s temperature.
Heat Pump vs Gas Boiler
Is a heat pump better than a boiler? Let's see what the people say! We did a survey of 2,300 people, and this is what we found out:
- Cost-effectiveness: heat pumps wins with 7/10 vs 6/10 for boiler owners
- Warmth: heat pumps wins again with 90% vs 80% of boiler owners
- Full breakdown: we invite you to read this full-piece comparing heat pumps vs gas boilers, or dare to try it yourself by requesting an estimated heat pump quote.
Find out if your home is a good fit in minutes
Heat pump installation made easy
Whether it’s your first time or you’re looking to replace a heat pump system, we’re here to say it’s not as scary or as pricey as it sounds.
We make heat pump installation easy by taking care of everything, from the home survey to the final install, including all the paperwork and aftercare.
See exactly what happens during an Octopus heat pump installation in this short video.
What's installed with the heat pump?
With Octopus, the cost of a heat pump includes all of the hardware required for a new heating system, installation (and more). That includes any radiators necessary for your air source heat pump system and design. The biggest devices are:
An air source heat pump
This will be installed on an external wall, usually in the garden.
We will install either a Octopus Cosy 6 heat pump, a Cosy 9, or a Daikin heat pump, depending on what’s the best fit for your home.
A compatible hot water cylinder
This is roughly the size of a modern fridge freezer, on the ground or first floor of your home (the closer to the outside the better).
The cylinder can also be installed in a garage, outdoors in a purpose-built store, or in the loft, but this may decrease the efficiency of your heat pump.
That's because it takes more energy to heat the water when the cylinder is exposed to the cold.
How is a heat pump set and controlled?
With an Octopus heat pump, you’ll be able to set your schedule and temperature from wherever, whenever with an app on your phone. Plus, you'll have a button to boost the temperature when you need it.
Do heat pumps use a lot of electricity?
Air source heat pumps use electricity, but are highly efficient, often delivering 3 to 4 units of heat for every unit of electricity used, meaning lower energy bills in the long term.
How do I get a heat pump installed?
Heat pump installation is so simple, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner. Just ask Aaron, or any of our happy customers who made the switch to a heat pump. Only 3 steps to follow:
Step 1: Get a quick estimated heat pump quote
Just enter a few details and your personalised quote will include an estimated cost for both a Cosy Turbo and Cosy Eco installation. Once happy, we take a £200 deposit that’s fully refundable until installation.
Step 2: Home survey and design
We’ll pop over to take some measurements & check if your home is suitable for a heat pump, or if any extra work is needed. Then our experts will design your tailored heat pump system before providing your final fixed heat pump quote and estimated running costs.
Step 3: Expert installation
Once tweaks are finalised – installation is booked. You’ll have access to Octopus support 7 days a week, plus we can set up a maintenance plan and help you find the right heat pump tariff to make savings.
I'm ready to switch to a heat pump. Let's go!
Curious what others think?
Dive into our heat pump reviews and see how real Octopus customers made the switch, and never looked back!
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Green heating 101 with our heat pump boffin Peter
Frequently asked questions and more
See what's included, and where you could save
Hey I'm Constantine, welcome to Octopus Energy!
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