The UK government will consult this year on further expanding permitted development for heat pumps, according to Nesta, which said it welcomed the announcement1. Nesta, a research and innovation foundation, published its position on 12 February 2026 alongside two reports on the barriers households meet when installing a heat pump1. The consultation is described as a commitment in the Warm Homes Plan, which states that the government will consult on further changes to permitted development in 20262.
Permitted development rights allow residential air source heat pumps to be installed across Great Britain without a planning application, provided certain conditions are met2. Nesta said recent reforms to England's rules, which removed the one metre boundary rule, increased size limits for units and gave more flexibility for detached homes, represented progress, but that planning rules remain a point of friction for a significant number of homes2. Where an installation does not meet the conditions, Nesta said homeowners face extensive paperwork, a 12 week delay and costs of between £250 and £600 just to apply, with some then asked to pay another £1,000 or more for a professional sound assessment1.
"We welcome the UK government's recent announcement that they will consult this year on further expanding permitted development for heat pumps"
Nesta also set out figures on other steps in the process. Grid approval from a distribution network operator typically takes an average of three weeks, and for the 1% of households requiring three-phase connections it can come with charges from £500 to £4,0001. A separate Nesta report gives the average approval time for a heat pump installation as between 2 and 4 weeks under different DNOs, and cites recent data showing that for a significant proportion of installs the complete process takes over a month2. On grants, Nesta said the requirement for a valid Energy Performance Certificate to access the Boiler Upgrade Scheme can add another week of delay and up to £120 in unnecessary costs for 50% of households1. Around half of all properties do not have a valid EPC and need to apply for one to access the scheme, while permitting EPCs of all ages would cover around 70% of properties2.
Planning application fees differ by nation. Nesta said England and Wales operate a two-tier system, with larger works charged a higher fee than smaller scale works, and gave the following figures1:
| Nation | Larger works | Smaller scale works |
|---|---|---|
| England | £528 | £262 |
| Wales | £585 | £283 |
| Scotland | Flat fee of £357 | Flat fee of £357 |
Nesta said heat pump planning applications should always be charged the lower fee, and that all three nations should lower or cap these fees1. It also called for permitted development rights to be expanded across Great Britain, including for listed buildings, and for more than one heat pump to be allowed for semi-detached and terraced houses where the cumulative sound level meets the limit set under MCS020, as is now the case for detached houses1.
Why it matters for households
The rules and processes described here sit between a household and an installed heat pump. Where a home meets permitted development conditions, no planning application is needed; where it does not, the household carries the delay and the fee. Grid approval sits outside the household's control and can add weeks. The EPC requirement for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme adds a home visit and a cost for roughly half of properties. Nesta's stated aim is that these steps become quicker, cheaper and less of a burden, which it links to the government's ambition for over 450,000 annual heat pump installations by 20301. One in three homeowners in England and Wales say they might consider a heat pump if they needed to change their heating system in the next year, according to the survey Nesta cites1.
What happens next
The consultation on further expanding permitted development for heat pumps is due this year1. Nesta said it has made specific suggestions in its latest report1. It also said the government has announced that Boiler Upgrade Scheme applicants will be able to submit alternative forms of evidence in place of obtaining new EPC certificates, and that the government has acknowledged the sound calculation may be too conservative and needs revision2. Nesta and the MCS Foundation have commissioned research on the sound calculation, which will report in the summer1. From 2028, Nesta said Ofgem should introduce strict penalties or incentives for DNOs to ensure applications are processed within a set timeframe1. No date has been reported for the consultation itself.