Air con for your home could become part of £7.5k heat-pump grant

Air con for your home could become part of £7.5k heat-pump grant



Posted by theipaper

14 comments

  1. People would be able to apply for government grants to help pay for air conditioning units in their homes under plans being considered by ministers, *The i Paper* can reveal.

    The government is actively considering extending the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), which currently contributes £7,500 each towards [heat pumps](https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/money/heat-pumps-thousands-pounds-five-years-experts-3461210?srsltid=AfmBOorHV39BbkrDkxzqgulLFjdFWkgNIIdcuRcKCaJj8KIimxX9ENK_&ico=in-line_link), to systems that[ can also cool homes](https://inews.co.uk/news/housing/britains-homes-made-retain-heat-shame-about-35c-summers-3794225?srsltid=AfmBOooZ-fDohDPuTyXz395kKX46rZ4oLIjjwUu_vG0eJS_A1IYd7dXd&ico=in-line_link).

    While domestic AC units are common in the US and on the Continent, interest in the UK has soared over recent years as hot summers have become more frequent.

    The [third heatwave this summer](https://inews.co.uk/news/millions-facing-hosepipe-ban-largest-uk-water-firm-warning-3800141?ico=in-line_link) is forecast to push temperatures [past 33C this week](https://inews.co.uk/news/new-hosepipe-ban-32c-heatwave-3793254?ico=in-line_link).

    In its Chronic Risks Analysis published for the first time earlier this week, the government warned: “People may increasingly need to remain at home to stay safe from extreme weather” [in the next two to five years due to climate change](https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/staying-inside-cattle-dying-risks-climate-change-uk-3794969?ico=in-line_link).

    However domestic AC systems can cost householders thousands of pounds to install.

    The BUS currently covers air-source (air-to-water) heat pumps and ground-source heat pumps, which both provide central heating, but it does not extend to air-to-air systems, which can provide both warm and cold air.

    The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said it was looking at [extending the scheme](https://inews.co.uk/news/uk-heat-pump-sales-are-the-lowest-in-europe-3785082?ico=in-line_link) to include air-to-air systems as part of “action to futureproof homes and communities”.

    # Workplace temperature regulations to be reviewed

    Ministers have also pledged to review regulations covering extreme temperatures in the workplace, after the TUC called for a maximum temperature in offices and factories of 30C, or 27C for workers doing strenuous jobs.

    During last year’s election campaign, as part of its Plan to Make Work Pay, Labour pledged to look at health and safety rules on working conditions including temperatures, and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is currently reviewing the regulations.

    TUC general secretary Paul Nowak told *The i Paper* he hoped ministers would make maximum temperatures a legal requirement.

    According to figures from the Energy Saving Trust, demand for heat pumps under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme has increased since its launch in May 2022, with 4,000 applications in March this year alone.

  3. AC not only cools but also heats. It is better than “heat pumps” for that reason alone!
    No reason to not have air to air heating and cooling in the UK. Works great in the USA. It also means no radiators on the walls. Just air vents which also can be used for heat recovery (if you go for a ducted system over units in each room) with fresh air intake and dust filtering. Wish the grant was available. Would be claiming it today.

  5. What the fuck is the point of mandating heat pumps for the environmental benefit and then making it easier for everyone to get air conditioning?

  6. I will be all over this as soon as they allow grants for air-to-air heat pumps. I’m planning on getting my 80’s built, flat roof extension externally insulated. When that is done I’ll be getting an air-to-air heat pump if they are subsidised.

  8. I’ve been waiting for them to include air to air systems. I’m pretty certain forced convection is going to be much better for most people and they are cheaper too overall. Well maybe not with a government grant in the offing.

  9. Fridge.
    Freezer.
    Heat pump
    Air conditioning.

    Are all the same technology. Moving heat around.
    They are just designed to do different things.

    It makes sense to have air to air heat / conditioning and air to water for hot water.

  11. Great. I’m currently sat infront of my split unit system and it’s great. It uses way less power than people think it would and it also has warming and dehumidifier setting depending what I want.

  12. Heat pumps installed as part of a forced air system can be run in reverse to push cool air.

  13. Makes sense. A lot of old homes are too poorly insulated for air to water heatpumps to work well, not to mention the hassle of having floors up to replace pipes and radiators, and needing space to fit a hot water tank, which isn’t needed with a combi boiler.

    With an air to air heat pump you have none of those problems, and whilst people may only use it for cooling in the summer initially and keep using their gas boiler for heating, if they get battery storage in future and a low overnight tariff to charge it, they’ll be able to switch to using the heatpump for heating as well, and just use the gas boiler for hot water, which will greatly reduce gas usage.

    After that, they may decide that they don’t want to keep paying the gas standing charge just for hot water, and look into getting an air to water heatpump for that. Maybe by then there will be a combined air to air and air to water heatpump, so they won’t need two external units.

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