'Heat pumps are the new Betamax – I'm sticking with gas'

Households are replacing broken gas boilers like-for-like rather than opting for newer and greener technology – despite the Government's promotion of heat pumps.

Nearly two in five British people would simply replace a broken gas boiler, while just 12pc would opt for an air or ground source heat pump, according to research by law firm Shakespeare Martineau. Households put off by the high installation costs are concerned heat pumps will be replaced by a cheaper alternative before gas boilers are banned.

Jim Woodley, from south London, replaced his boiler in January with another, fearing it was "too early" to switch to heat pumps. He said: "Gas boilers still have a lot of life in them. I have a feeling that heat pumps will go the way of Betamax video and something else will come in and replace them."

The Government’s “Boiler Upgrade Scheme” offers households £5,000 grants to help switch to heat pumps – but more than half of those surveyed by Shakespeare Martineau were unaware the offer even existed.

James Bore, 38, a cybersecurity consultant from west London, said his home – like many others – was unsuitable for a heat pump. He said: "We're in a 1930s bungalow which we're fixing up. Switching to a heat pump would mean pretty much stripping out all the existing central heating and pipework which is way beyond our budget.

"Even if heat pumps are made mandatory we're in a house that is completely unsuitable for them. While we're slowly working on insulating the house there is zero support available."

Only one in five of households considered a heat pump affordable, Shakespeare Martineau said, while only 24pc felt they had a good understanding of what heat pump "community energy" was.

Anna McKay, 65, said she had wanted to install a heat pump in her Suffolk cottage to help save the planet but could not justify the cost. 

"I have a 17th-century cottage with the best possible insulation rating," she said. "The pipes and radiators were fine and didn't need replacing, but a heat pump would still have cost me £17,000 – many times higher than a £2,500 new boiler."

Sushma Maharaj, of Shakespeare Martineau, said more needed to be done to raise awareness of community energy. "The Chancellor’s announcement to scrap VAT on energy-saving technology is a step in the right direction but will still leave the average household well out of pocket," she added.

"Consumers are already combatting the rising cost of living. There needs to be further incentives – such as additional grants, interest-free loans, reduced council tax – to fork out large sums for new technology."