Replacing electric heating with a heat pump means taking out storage heaters, panel heaters or an electric boiler and installing an air-to-water heat pump that heats water for radiators or underfloor heating and a hot water cylinder. If you already have an electric boiler and radiators, the change is similar to a boiler swap. If you have storage or panel heaters, there is no wet system yet, so radiators and pipework need to be installed throughout.
Owners across Aberdeenshire and Moray moving off storage heaters can arrange a survey in Aberdeenshire and Moray that compares running costs on their real tariff. For Aberdeenshire and Moray homes with solid floors, the survey plans pipe routes through walls and ceilings to keep disruption predictable. Bungalows around Aberdeenshire and Moray with suspended timber floors usually make running new pipework simpler.
Who it suits
- Homes with storage heaters or panel heaters throughout
- Owners planning redecoration or other building work at the same time
- Properties with an electric boiler and existing radiators
- Bungalows and houses with suspended timber floors that make pipe runs easier
Grants and rules for heat pumps in Scotland
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme does not apply in Scotland. Instead, homeowners in Aberdeenshire and Moray can apply to Home Energy Scotland for a grant of up to £7,500 towards a heat pump, with up to £1,500 more for eligible rural and island homes, plus an optional interest-free loan of up to £7,500. You need a written funding offer before any work starts.
Installing heat pumps is zero-rated for VAT across the UK until 31 March 2027. Scotland has its own permitted development rules for air source heat pumps and its own building standards, so we confirm what applies to your property at survey.
Electric heating to heat pump prices in Aberdeenshire and Moray
These are guide prices for Aberdeenshire and Moray, installed and including VAT. Your final price is fixed in a written quote after the survey and depends on the heat loss of the house, the radiators that need changing and where the unit goes.
| Home | Typical size | Installed guide price |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 bedroom flat or small terrace | 4–5 kW | £9,800–£12,900 |
| 2–3 bedroom terrace or semi | 5–7 kW | £10,800–£13,900 |
| 3 bedroom semi or small detached | 6–9 kW | £12,350–£15,950 |
| 4 bedroom detached | 8–12 kW | £14,400–£18,550 |
| 5+ bedroom or larger older house | 11–16 kW | £17,000–£23,200 |
Installed, inc VAT: unit, cylinder, controls, minor pipework and commissioning. In Scotland, Home Energy Scotland grants of up to £7,500 and interest-free loans may reduce the cost.
Towns we cover in Aberdeenshire and Moray
We cover 14 towns in Aberdeenshire and Moray for replacing electric heating with a heat pump. Each links to local guide prices and the grant position for Scotland.
| Town | Postcode district | Nearest town | Midwinter daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen | AB11 | Portlethen | 6 h 40 min |
| Elgin | IV30 | Forres | 6 h 33 min |
| Peterhead | AB42 | Ellon | 6 h 35 min |
| Banchory | AB31 | Westhill | 6 h 42 min |
| Buckie | AB56 | Elgin | 6 h 32 min |
| Ellon | AB41 | Inverurie | 6 h 37 min |
| Forres | IV36 | Elgin | 6 h 33 min |
| Fraserburgh | AB43 | Peterhead | 6 h 32 min |
| Huntly | AB54 | Turriff | 6 h 36 min |
| Inverurie | AB51 | Westhill | 6 h 38 min |
| Portlethen | AB12 | Aberdeen | 6 h 42 min |
| Stonehaven | AB39 | Portlethen | 6 h 43 min |
| Turriff | AB53 | Huntly | 6 h 34 min |
| Westhill | AB32 | Aberdeen | 6 h 40 min |
Replacing electric heating with a heat pump questions
Is a heat pump cheaper to run than storage heaters?
It can be, but it depends on your tariff. Direct electric heat costs the full unit rate, 26.32p per kWh at the October to December 2026 price cap, while a heat pump with a seasonal efficiency of 3.0 delivers heat for about 8.8p per kWh. Storage heaters charged on a cheap overnight rate narrow that gap, so the survey compares on your actual tariff, insulation and expected flow temperature.
What if I live in a flat?
Many flats can have a heat pump, but you need a suitable outdoor position, such as a balcony, yard or wall bracket, and leaseholders need consent from the freeholder or management company. Planning permission may be needed depending on the nation and the building, which we check at survey. Where a wet system is impractical, an air-to-air heat pump with separate hot water is an alternative.
Can I replace storage heaters with a heat pump?
Yes. Storage heaters are removed and replaced with an air-to-water heat pump connected to new radiators or underfloor heating and a hot water cylinder. Because there is no existing wet system, pipework has to be run to each room, so the job is larger than a boiler swap. The survey plans pipe routes and radiator sizes before you receive a written quote.
Do I qualify for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme if I have electric heating?
In England and Wales, owners of existing homes replacing electric heating can qualify, provided the heat pump meets the home's full heating and hot water needs and the other scheme conditions are met. The grant is £7,500 for an air-to-water system. The scheme does not cover Scotland or Northern Ireland; Scotland has separate Home Energy Scotland funding.