Heat Pumps and Electricians: What You Need to Know

The UK government has set a target of 600,000 heat pump installations per year by 2028. Current installation rates are around 55,000 to 60,000 annually — meaning the market needs to grow roughly tenfold within a few years. The gas boiler phase-out, starting with new-build homes from 2025 and planned for all new installations by 2035, is the driving force.

Every heat pump installation requires electrical work. This is not work that can be done by the heat pump installer alone — it requires a qualified electrician. For the electrical trade, the heat pump transition represents one of the largest new sources of work in a generation.

Heat pumps are fundamentally electrical devices. Unlike a gas boiler, which burns gas, a heat pump uses electricity to extract heat from the outside air or ground. Every installation requires substantial electrical work that only a qualified electrician can carry out.

Electrical supply upgrades

Most UK homes have a 60A or 80A single-phase supply. A typical air source heat pump draws 3 to 12 kW. When combined with existing household loads — cooking, hot water, EV charging — many properties need a supply upgrade to 100A or higher. This requires liaison with the DNO, new cabling, and potentially a new meter and consumer unit.

Dedicated circuits

Heat pumps require a dedicated radial circuit from the consumer unit, typically protected by an appropriate MCB and RCD. The outdoor unit needs a local isolator switch. Indoor components may each require separate circuits. Cable sizing must account for compressor starting current.

Consumer unit modifications

Adding multiple new circuits often requires modifications to the existing consumer unit or, in many cases, a complete consumer unit upgrade. Older properties with rewirable fuse boards will need a new consumer unit. This is notifiable work under Part P.

Compliance and certification

All electrical work must comply with BS 7671. The electrician must issue an Electrical Installation Certificate (EIC). For MCS certification — which is required for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant — the electrical installation must be fully certified and compliant.

The government's Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) provides grants to homeowners replacing fossil fuel heating with heat pumps. Understanding this scheme matters because it drives installation volumes and has specific requirements.

BUS grant details

• ✓Grant value: 7,500 pounds per air source or ground source heat pump installation
• ✓Available to homeowners in England and Wales
• ✓Property must have an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate)
• ✓Installation must be carried out by an MCS-certified installer
• ✓Metering must be installed to monitor heat pump performance
• ✓Scheme extended to at least March 2028

The grant significantly reduces the cost to the homeowner, driving adoption. The metering requirement means additional electrical work — installing energy meters and connecting them to monitoring systems.

The numbers behind the heat pump transition are striking, and they translate directly into work for electricians.

• ✓24 million gas boilers in UK homes need replacing
• ✓600,000 heat pumps per year target by 2028
• ✓7,500 pound government grant reducing homeowner costs
• ✓Electrical work worth 1,500 to 3,000 pounds per installation
• ✓Over 50,000 trained installers needed by 2030
• ✓Every installation requires qualified electrician involvement

At 600,000 installations per year, the electrical work alone represents a market worth hundreds of millions of pounds annually. Even with a slower ramp-up than targeted, the trajectory points to hundreds of thousands of annual installations within the next decade.

The most effective way to secure regular heat pump electrical work is to build partnerships with MCS-certified heat pump installation companies. They need reliable electricians and will provide a steady stream of work.

How to find partners

• ✓Search the MCS Installer Register for heat pump companies in your area
• ✓Contact renewable energy installers directly and offer your electrical services
• ✓Join local trade associations and networking groups
• ✓Attend renewable energy trade shows and exhibitions
• ✓Ask your existing contacts in the building trade for introductions

What heat pump installers need from you

• ✓Reliable availability — they book installations weeks in advance
• ✓Quick turnaround — their installation cannot be completed without the electrics
• ✓Understanding of heat pump electrical requirements
• ✓Proper certification (EIC) for every installation
• ✓Knowledge of BUS metering requirements
• ✓Professional communication with homeowners

Older properties

Many older homes have inadequate electrical supplies for heat pump installation. Properties with 60A or lower supplies, old wiring, or outdated consumer units will need significant electrical upgrades. This increases the scope and value of the work but requires careful assessment and planning.

DNO applications

Where a supply upgrade is needed, the electrician must apply to the local Distribution Network Operator. This can take several weeks to several months. Experience with DNO applications is a valuable skill.

Three-phase considerations

Larger properties or those with very high electrical demand may need a three-phase supply to accommodate a heat pump alongside EV charging and other loads. Upskilling in three-phase systems can open up higher-value work.

The heat pump transition is not a short-term trend — it is a structural shift in how the UK heats its homes. Gas currently provides heating for approximately 85 per cent of UK homes. Transitioning these to heat pumps will take decades and require a sustained, large-scale workforce.

• ✓Climate Change Act 2008 legally commits UK to net zero by 2050
• ✓Future Homes Standard: no gas boilers in new builds from 2025
• ✓Clean Heat Market Mechanism: effective phase-out of new gas boilers by 2035
• ✓Cross-party political support for heat pump transition
• ✓Government funding extended and increased
• ✓Electricians who position now will benefit from decades of demand

The electricians who secure the right qualifications, build partnerships with heat pump installers, and develop experience in supply upgrades and energy system integration will be best placed to benefit from this generational shift.