Heat pumps are the answer to the fuel price rollercoaster - and the Government wants to foot the bill
We are committed to getting rural families off the fossil fuel rollercoaster for good, writes Minister for Energy Consumers Martin McCluskey MP
The crisis in the Middle East was not our war – but it has hit the British people hard, especially households reliant on heating oil.
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The average price of domestic heating oil in April 2026 was more than double that of the previous year, laying bare the unfair treatment many families who rely on heating oil and LPG have been subjected to since the crisis began.
In March, we stepped in to support the most vulnerable households with a £53 million investment – but we are committed to getting rural families off the fossil fuel rollercoaster for good.
The record temperatures we've seen across Britain this week are yet another reminder of the importance of that mission – and our responsibility not just to shield households from price spikes, but also to protect families from the very real impacts of climate change that we're already seeing.
That’s why we’re supporting households across the country to make the switch from heating oil to heat pumps.
From 21 July, households on heating oil and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) will be eligible to receive £9,000 off the cost of a heat pump.
This week, hundreds of thousands of eligible households will receive more information on how to claim the funding.
That builds on the record demand the British people are already showing for heat pumps - not least in rural areas, which accounted for 49% of the heat pump discounts granted through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme up to the end of last month.
And we will go further.
We are accelerating home upgrades to cut bills for all.
Our £15 billion Warm Homes Plan will help lift millions of struggling households out of fuel poverty by 2030 as they benefit from solar panels, batteries, heat pumps and insulation.
We are supporting the rollout of plug-in solar panels in shops across the country this summer.
And this isn't just about keeping homes warm - it's also about keeping them cool when heatwaves hit, as we expand the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to include a £2,500 grant off the cost of an air-to-air heat pump.
Because switching to clean heat and electrifying our homes will lay the foundations for Britain to become a clean energy superpower – benefiting present and future generations, taking back control of our energy and bringing down bills for good.
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Martin McCluskey MP is the Minister for Energy Consumers.
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