Heat pump types: which one suits your home?
There are five distinct heat pump technologies installed in UK homes. The right choice depends on your property, your garden, your budget, and your time horizon. This page is a side-by-side starting point; each type has a detailed deep-dive linked below.
At-a-glance comparison
| Type | Typical cost | SCOP | BUS grant | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air source (ASHP) | £10k – £14k | 2.8 – 4.5 | £7,500 | Most UK homes with outdoor wall space |
| Ground source (GSHP) | £18k – £35k | 3.5 – 5.0 | £7,500 | Rural homes with substantial grounds |
| Water source (WSHP) | £12k – £25k | 4.0 – 5.5 | £7,500 | Properties next to a river, lake or aquifer |
| Exhaust air (EAHP) | £6k – £12k | 2.5 – 4.0 | £7,500 | Airtight new-builds with MVHR |
| Hybrid | £7k – £12k | 2.5 – 3.5 | Not eligible | Hard-to-retrofit properties keeping a gas boiler |
SCOP = Seasonal Coefficient of Performance — heat output per unit of electricity, averaged over a year. Higher is better.
Pick a type to read in detail
Air source heat pumps
The dominant UK technology. Most installers do them. Most homes can host one. Read the full benefits, disadvantages and costs.
2,212 installers certified →
Ground source heat pumps
Higher efficiency and longer-lived than air source, at significantly higher up-front cost. Suited to large rural properties.
1 installers certified →
Water source heat pumps
The highest seasonal efficiency of any heat pump type, where you have access to a river, lake or aquifer. Multi-month permit process.
665 installers certified →
Exhaust air heat pumps
Pulls heat from your ventilation extract air. Only suitable for airtight, MVHR-equipped new-builds.
200 installers certified →
Hybrid heat pumps
Heat pump paired with a retained gas or oil boiler. Common in Europe; rarer in the UK because BUS excludes hybrids.
Not BUS-eligible →
How to decide between them
For most UK homeowners, the decision tree is:
- Do you have an outdoor wall and ~1.5 m of clear space in front of it?
→ Yes: ASHP is almost certainly your answer. - Do you have substantial grounds (2 – 3× the property footprint) and a higher budget?
→ Worth getting a GSHP quote alongside ASHP for comparison. - Is your property next to a river, pond, lake or above a known aquifer?
→ Investigate WSHP — highest efficiency if permits clear. - Is it a new-build with MVHR?
→ Ask the architect to model EAHP against full ASHP. - Property genuinely can't accept a full retrofit?
→ Look at hybrid, but understand the BUS trade-off.
What to do once you've picked a type
Get three quotes from MCS-certified installers who do that specific technology. Insist on a proper heat-loss survey before any quote. Read our questions to ask guide before you sign anything.
Related guides
How heat pumps work (the cycle) · UK installation costs · Running costs · vs gas boiler · The £7,500 BUS grant