A YouGov survey carried out for the Energy and Utilities Alliance (EUA) found that only 10% of people would consider a heat pump as a replacement for a gas boiler, according to an industry news item published by the Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers (IGEM) in May 20241. About half of the population would instead prefer hydrogen to be added to their existing gas supply1.
IGEM reported that interest in heat pumps is declining in the UK, and that only one in ten homes has a heat pump or plans to get one1. The survey was set against the government's target of installing 600,000 heat pumps a year by 2028, up from 55,000 in 20231.
"Interest in heat pumps is declining in the UK, with only 10% of people considering them as a replacement for gas boilers."
The figures cover stated preference rather than installations. The 55,000 installations recorded for 2023 and the 600,000 annual target for 2028 are the only uptake numbers given1. The survey did not report how respondents would meet the cost of either option, and no breakdown by nation, property type or heating fuel has been reported1.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Would consider a heat pump as a gas boiler replacement | 10% |
| Would prefer hydrogen added to the existing gas supply | About half |
| Homes with a heat pump, or planning one | One in ten |
| Heat pumps installed in 2023 | 55,000 |
| Government annual target for 2028 | 600,000 |
Why it matters for households
The result speaks to how households view the disruption involved in changing how a home is heated. A heat pump replaces the boiler and the fuel supply to the property, and usually brings changes to radiators, insulation and controls. Adding hydrogen to the gas grid, by contrast, would leave the pipework and the appliance in place, which is the basis of the preference recorded here. The practical difference between the two routes is set out in our comparison of a hydrogen-ready boiler and a heat pump.
For a household weighing up replacing a gas, oil or LPG boiler with a heat pump, the survey indicates that most people currently do not see that route as their first choice. What the survey does not establish is whether hydrogen blending at scale will be available to any given home, or when. The government's 2028 target implies a pace of installation far above the 55,000 recorded in 20231, and the gap between that target and the 10% figure is the central tension in the findings.
What happens next
No dated next steps are given in the IGEM item beyond the 2028 installation target1. The EUA has published its own account of the survey, titled "British public want gas over heat pumps"1.