In England and Wales, replacing electric heating is eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, so eligible owners can receive £7,500 towards an air-to-water system. Flats need extra thought about where the outdoor unit goes and who must agree to it, and for some an air-to-air system is a simpler fit.
Bungalows around Berkshire with suspended timber floors usually make running new pipework simpler. Where a home in Berkshire has an airing cupboard, the immersion cylinder can often be swapped for a heat pump cylinder in the same space. Owners across Berkshire moving off storage heaters can arrange a survey in Berkshire that compares running costs on their real tariff.
Who it suits
- Properties with an electric boiler and existing radiators
- Owners planning redecoration or other building work at the same time
- Bungalows and houses with suspended timber floors that make pipe runs easier
- Flats with a suitable wall, balcony or ground-floor space for the unit
Grants and rules for heat pumps in England
In England the Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £7,500 towards an air source heat pump (£9,000 if it replaces oil or LPG, from 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027), and since 28 April 2026 a valid EPC is no longer needed. The grant is applied for by the MCS-certified installer and shown as a deduction on your quote.
Installing heat pumps is zero-rated for VAT across the UK until 31 March 2027. Since 29 May 2025, permitted development in England allows up to two air source heat pumps on a house, each up to 1.5 m³, with no blanket 1 m boundary rule — the installation must still meet the MCS planning standards, including the noise check. Listed buildings, flats and some conservation-area positions need extra consent, which we check at survey.
Electric heating to heat pump prices in Berkshire
Here are typical prices for replacing electric heating with a heat pump in Berkshire, installed and including VAT. Use the guide price tool for a figure based on your home, then a survey confirms it in writing.
| Home | Typical size | Installed guide price | After £7,500 grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 bedroom flat or small terrace | 4–5 kW | £10,050–£13,250 | £2,550–£5,750 |
| 2–3 bedroom terrace or semi | 5–7 kW | £11,150–£14,300 | £3,650–£6,800 |
| 3 bedroom semi or small detached | 6–9 kW | £12,700–£16,450 | £5,200–£8,950 |
| 4 bedroom detached | 8–12 kW | £14,850–£19,100 | £7,350–£11,600 |
| 5+ bedroom or larger older house | 11–16 kW | £17,500–£23,850 | £10,000–£16,350 |
Installed, inc VAT: unit, cylinder, controls, minor pipework and commissioning.
Towns we cover in Berkshire
We cover 10 towns in Berkshire for replacing electric heating with a heat pump. Each links to local guide prices and the grant position for England.
| Town | Postcode district | Nearest town | Midwinter daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | RG1 | Lower Earley | 7 h 50 min |
| Slough | SL1 | Maidenhead | 7 h 49 min |
| Bracknell | RG12 | Crowthorne | 7 h 50 min |
| Maidenhead | SL6 | Slough | 7 h 49 min |
| Wokingham | RG40 | Crowthorne | 7 h 50 min |
| Newbury | RG14 | Thatcham | 7 h 51 min |
| Lower Earley | RG6 | Reading | 7 h 50 min |
| Crowthorne | RG45 | Sandhurst | 7 h 51 min |
| Thatcham | RG19 | Newbury | 7 h 51 min |
| Sandhurst | GU47 | Crowthorne | 7 h 51 min |
Replacing electric heating with a heat pump questions
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.
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.
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.
How disruptive is fitting radiators in a home that has none?
More disruptive than a boiler swap, but planned. Floorboards are lifted to run pipes, some holes are drilled through walls and radiators are hung room by room. Rooms are worked on in a set order so you can keep living at home, and holes are made good, while redecoration is usually yours. The programme in your quote shows how long each stage typically takes.