What a heat pump really costs in 2026

Typical ranges (England & Wales, mid-2026)

• Air source heat pump, straightforward install: £10,000–£12,500 before grant.
• Air source with several radiator upgrades or a new cylinder: £12,000–£14,000+.
• Ground source: £18,000–£30,000+ — the grant is the same £7,500, so these suit larger rural plots.
• As a reference point, Greater Manchester installs averaged £10,400–£12,500 before grant in early-2026 market data, and dense installer competition there keeps prices at the lower end — a pattern that holds in most big cities.

What moves your quote

• Radiators: heat pumps run at lower temperatures, so undersized radiators may need swapping — each is a few hundred pounds.
• Hot water cylinder: no combi-style instant hot water; if you don't have a cylinder, add £1,000–£2,000.
• Heat loss survey quality: a proper room-by-room survey (insist on one) sizes the system correctly — oversizing wastes money upfront, undersizing costs you in bills.
• Where you live: installer density matters. Cities with many MCS-certified firms quote tighter; rural areas with two options don't.

Running costs, honestly

A well-designed system (seasonal efficiency around 3.5–4) roughly matches or modestly beats mains gas bills at 2026 prices, and clearly beats oil, LPG and direct electric — which is why off-gas-grid homes are the sweet spot, and why they get the bigger £9,000 grant from 21 July 2026. A badly designed system can cost more to run than gas. The installer's design quality matters more than the brand of pump.

How to not overpay

• Get at least three quotes — the spread on identical hardware is routinely £2,000+.
• Verify every installer on the official MCS register (each listing here links to it).
• Ask each quote to itemise: heat pump, cylinder, radiators, labour, and the grant deduction on separate lines.
• If you're off the gas grid on oil or LPG, ask about completing after 21 July 2026 for the £9,000 grant.