UK households no longer have to get planning permission for air source heat pumps after the government changed the rules in a bid to encourage cleaner heating and raise people out of fuel poverty.
The government’s Warm Homes Plan removes the rule that said heat pumps must be sited a minimum of one metre away from a property’s boundary. This is in response to a large number of people pulling out after ordering heat pumps.
Rule Changes to Encourage More Heat Pumps
This changes the rules in relation to Permitted Development Rights and is aimed at supporting wider use of heat pumps. The industry has also widely updated its tools and standards, including introducing the MCS Planning Standard for Permitted Development Installations of Air Source Heat Pumps – MCS 020 – in order to reflect and facilitate the changes.
The government has also announced that a further £30 million will go into the Boiler Upgrade Scheme for this year. This allows households in England and Wales to access £7,500 towards paying for a heat pump. The overall budget for the scheme will almost double in 2025/2026, reaching £295 million.
Better Energy Efficiency
The government also committed to consulting on increased energy-efficiency plans for heat pumps and new boilers. The moves are being widely welcomed by industry professionals, from boiler installers to suppliers of copper pipe connectors, such as https://watkinspowis.co.uk/products/copper-pipe-fittings-and-press-systems/.
Miatta Fahnbulleh, the Minister for Energy Consumers, said that the Warm Homes Plan was focused on ensuring that families can enjoy security in a home that they can afford to keep warm. This means assisting people who for too long have been forced to face sky-high bills and draughty homes and taking the action needed to allow households to access cleaner heating.
The minister added that the new announcements followed on from the government’s plan to get more than a million households out of fuel poverty through consultations on ways to boost energy-efficiency standards in rented homes by 2030 and delivering cheaper bills and warmer homes.