HeatsCools · Updated 8 November 2026
Air to air heat pumps: costs, the £2,500 grant and local installers
An air to air heat pump (also called an air to air source heat pump) heats your home with warm air in winter and cools it in summer. A typical install for a flat or small house costs about £4,500, and since 28 April 2026 a £2,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant is available in England and Wales if it replaces gas, oil, LPG or electric heating.
- Grant
- £2,500 England and Wales, from 28 Apr 2026
- Typical install
- £4,500 Flat or small house, before grant
- Heat cost
- 7.5p/kWh SCOP 3.5 at 26.32p electricity
- Electric heaters
- 26.3p/kWh Same electricity, no heat pump
What is an air to air heat pump?
It's a heat pump that moves heat from the outside air into your home and releases it as warm air from indoor units, usually slim units high on the wall. One outdoor unit can serve one room or several. In summer the cycle reverses, so the same system cools.
Because it moves heat rather than making it, each kWh of electricity gives several kWh of heat. That makes it far cheaper to run than electric panel or storage heaters, and usually a little cheaper than a gas boiler per kWh of heat at current prices.
It suits
- flats and small homes, especially on electric or storage heaters
- homes on oil or LPG
- homes without radiators or room for a hot water cylinder
- anyone who'd like cooling in summer
Watch out for
- Hot water: it doesn't heat water, so you'll need another way to do that if you remove a boiler
- Grant rules: it must replace your heating, not sit alongside a gas boiler
- Installer: F-gas certified, and MCS certified for air to air for the grant
Running cost calculator
October to December 2026 price cap rates. Standing charges excluded. How we worked this out.
Start here
Brands
Most big brands make both air-to-water and air to air heat pumps under different names, which makes searching confusing. Our brand guides sort out which is which.
Areas
Local guides covering housing, planning and installers.
LondonBirminghamCoventryManchesterLeedsSheffieldLiverpoolNewcastleNottinghamLeicesterCardiffSouthamptonBrighton
Questions
What is an air to air heat pump?
A heat pump that takes heat from the outside air and blows it into your rooms as warm air through indoor units. It can run in reverse to cool in summer. Unlike an air-to-water heat pump, it doesn't heat radiators or hot water.
How much does an air to air heat pump cost?
The government's typical figure is about £4,500 for a flat or small house. One room can start around £2,400; larger homes can be £8,800 or more.
Is there a grant for air to air heat pumps?
Yes. Since 28 April 2026, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £2,500 in England and Wales if the heat pump replaces gas, oil, LPG or electric heating and is fitted by an installer MCS certified for air to air.
Is an air to air heat pump just air conditioning?
The hardware is similar, but an air to air heat pump is designed as your main heating and cools as a bonus. That's what makes it eligible for the grant, and in England usually permitted development.
Are air to air heat pumps cheap to run?
At the October 2026 price cap, about 7.5p per kWh of heat with a SCOP of 3.5, compared with 26.32p for electric heaters and about 8.9p for a gas boiler.
Sources
- Ofgem: Summary of updates to BUS guidance for installers, March 2026 (air-to-air eligible from 28 April 2026)
- GOV.UK: Discounts for families to keep warm in winter and cool in summer (18 Nov 2025)
- GOV.UK: Boiler Upgrade Scheme, what you can get
- Uswitch: October 2026 price cap, 26.32p per kWh electricity, 7.97p per kWh gas
Checked 8 November 2026.