Nesta, the research and innovation foundation, published ten recommendations on 12 February 2026 aimed at reducing the friction households face when installing a heat pump. The proposals cover planning permission, electricity grid approvals, grant paperwork and access to advice, and are addressed to the UK, Scottish and Welsh governments1.
The analysis identifies several cost and delay points in the customer journey. Where an installation does not meet permitted development rights, Nesta says homeowners face 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. Where Distribution Network Operator approval is required, it typically takes an average of three weeks, and for the 1% of households requiring three-phase connections this can come with charges from £500 to £4,0001. Requiring a valid Energy Performance Certificate to access the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant can add another week of delay and up to £120 in unnecessary costs for 50% of households1.
On planning fees, Nesta notes that England and Wales operate a two-tier system where larger works are charged a higher fee (£528 and £585 respectively) compared to smaller scale works (£262 and £283 respectively), and argues heat pump applications should always attract the lower fee. Scotland operates a flat fee of £3571.
"we set out 10 evidence-led improvements to the customer journey below"
The recommendations include expanding permitted development rights across Great Britain, including for listed buildings; reforming MCS020 sound standards so more homes are exempt from professional sound assessments; and empowering councils to pre-approve areas through local development orders1. On grid connections, Nesta calls for Ofgem to introduce penalties or incentives for DNOs from 2028 to process applications within a set timeframe, to incentivise preemptive fuse upgrades, and to enable DNOs to access Boiler Upgrade Scheme and Home Energy Scotland grant application data1. On grants, it recommends removing the requirement for a valid EPC to access the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, noting it welcomes DESNZ's stated intention to do this1.
| Nation | Planning fee cited |
|---|---|
| England, larger works | £528 |
| England, smaller works | £262 |
| Wales, larger works | £585 |
| Wales, smaller works | £283 |
| Scotland, flat fee | £357 |
Source: Nesta1
Nesta cites polling indicating 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 year1.
Why it matters for households
The barriers described sit between a household deciding to replace a heating system and the system being installed. Planning applications, sound assessments, grid connection approvals and grant paperwork each add time and cost, and Nesta frames these as reasons households default to another gas boiler when an existing one fails1. For a home's energy independence, the practical effect is that the switch away from gas can be delayed by weeks or made more expensive by fees and assessments that are not part of the installation itself. The full UK guide to heat pumps sets out how the technology works in a home, and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme is the grant whose EPC requirement Nesta wants removed. Households weighing a heat pump against a gas boiler can compare running and warmth expectations in the hybrid heat pump versus gas boiler guide, and costs under the grant are set out in the Boiler Upgrade Scheme cost guide.
What happens next
The UK government has said it will consult this year on further expanding permitted development for heat pumps, an announcement Nesta welcomes1. Nesta also notes the UK government's ambition, set out in the Warm Homes Plan, to enable standard heat pump installations within three days, and an ambition that 80% of DNO applications will be automatically approved or approved within 24 hours where a manual assessment is needed1. From 2028, Nesta recommends Ofgem introduce strict penalties or incentives for DNOs to process applications within a set timeframe1. Research commissioned by Nesta and the MCS Foundation on acoustic barriers to heat pump installations is due to report in the summer1. No dates have been reported for decisions on the remaining recommendations.