The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) published an options assessment on 27 November 2024 setting out proposed minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) for heat pumps in Great Britain1. The assessment accompanies the government's ecodesign and energy labelling consultation and covers heat pumps only, rather than space heaters more broadly1.
The proposals use the Seasonal Space Heating Energy Efficiency (SSHEE) metric, which expresses efficiency in primary energy terms, and would apply alongside an updated primary energy factor of 1.91. The current ecodesign regulations, legislation no. 813/2013, set MEPS on a primary energy factor of 2.5: heat pump space heaters and combination heaters other than low temperature models must not fall below 110 per cent, low temperature heat pumps at 125 per cent and medium temperature heat pumps at 110 per cent1.
The proposed thresholds are set out in two tiers, proposed for 2027 and 20291:
| Heat pump type | 2027 | 2029 |
|---|---|---|
| Low temperature | 168% | 175% |
| Medium temperature | 168% | 175% |
| High temperature | 143% | 153% |
DESNZ defines a low temperature heat pump as one specifically designed for low temperature application that cannot deliver heating water with an outlet temperature of 52 °C at an inlet dry (wet) bulb temperature of minus 7 °C (minus 8 °C) in the reference design conditions for average climate1. A medium temperature heat pump is declared capable of use in a medium temperature application, delivering its declared capacity at an indoor heat exchanger outlet temperature of 55 °C, and a high temperature unit at 65 °C1.
"Following research, analysis and modelling, we have set out MEPS proposals in this options assessment and associated consultation"
The assessment states that existing MEPS are no longer pushing the market towards more efficient products, with efficiency levels clustering around the current standards1. It says the draft regulations will apply in Great Britain only, and that under the Windsor Framework EU ecodesign and energy labelling regulations continue to have direct effect in Northern Ireland, so businesses selling heat pumps there may choose to meet either the less stringent EU rules or the higher GB standard1. The document states the EU has proposed updates to its own requirements but that the UK does not have sight of final EU policies, and that the GB proposals are at least as ambitious, in places more ambitious, than the EU proposals published up to that point1. The assessment is signed by David Capper1.
Why it matters for households
The standards govern which heat pumps can be sold, not which one a household chooses, so the practical effect is on the range of products on the market rather than on any individual installation. DESNZ states that improving heat pump efficiency is expected to reduce electricity demand compared with leaving the market unregulated, and that consumers are expected to see a small reduction in annual energy bills as a result of increased MEPS1. It also notes that more energy efficient products tend to be more expensive up front1. For a household weighing heat pumps and energy independence, the proposal bears on running costs and on how much electricity a home draws for heating, which in turn affects demand on the grid. The assessment cites around 30 million buildings in the UK, with heating in residential buildings responsible for approximately 16 per cent of all carbon emissions1. It also identifies misaligned incentives in rented properties, where heating is commonly installed by the landlord before tenants move in and the cost of higher energy bills accrues to tenants1.
What happens next
The proposals sit within the ecodesign and energy labelling consultation, and the assessment says the MEPS proposals are being consulted on1. Tier 1 and Tier 2 are proposed for 2027 and 2029 respectively1. The outcome of the consultation, and whether the standards are confirmed as proposed, has not been reported.
Sources1 cited
- Raising minimum energy performance standards for Heat Pumps, assets.publishing.service.gov.uk