UK offers £2,500 grant for air‑to‑air heat pumps as heatwave intensifies

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme has been expanded to provide households in England and Wales with a £2,500 grant for air‑to‑air heat pumps, which can cool homes in summer and heat them in winter. Homeowners can apply through an MCS‑certified installer, while renters rely on landlords to apply. The scheme excludes most new‑builds, social housing and properties that have already received government heat‑pump assistance. The grant comes amid a third UK heatwave, with temperatures hitting 34 °C for an eighth day of the year, and follows a recent 13 % rise in the Ofgem price cap, keeping energy bills high.

Separately, experts note that while solar panels cannot directly power air‑conditioning units, they can offset the electricity used by AC on sunny days. A typical 4.5 kWp UK solar system generates about 10 kWh per day, enough to cover much of the 1 kW‑2 kW power draw of portable or split‑system air conditioners, reducing reliance on the grid.