The efficiency difference is the main reason to consider it. A panel heater turns one unit of electricity into one unit of heat, so heat costs the full unit rate of 26.32p per kWh at the October to December 2026 price cap. A heat pump with a seasonal efficiency of 3.0 delivers heat for about 8.8p per kWh. Storage heaters on an off-peak tariff narrow the gap, so we compare against your actual tariff, insulation and expected flow temperature.
Flats in Somerset heated by storage heaters can often switch, subject to the freeholder's consent and a workable outdoor position. For Somerset homes with solid floors, the survey plans pipe routes through walls and ceilings to keep disruption predictable. Where a home in Somerset has an airing cupboard, the immersion cylinder can often be swapped for a heat pump cylinder in the same space.
Who it suits
- Homes with storage heaters or panel heaters throughout
- Owners planning redecoration or other building work at the same time
- Bungalows and houses with suspended timber floors that make pipe runs easier
- Properties with an electric boiler and existing radiators
Grants and rules for heat pumps in England
Homes in Somerset can use the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which takes £7,500 off the cost of an air source heat pump when it replaces fossil-fuel or electric heating. Replacing oil or LPG heating qualifies for £9,000 for installations from 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027, and air-to-air systems for £2,500. The MCS-certified installer named in your quote applies for the grant and deducts it from the price.
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 Somerset
The ranges below are typical installed prices for homes in Somerset, including VAT. A survey sets the exact figure, because two similar-looking houses in Somerset can need quite different radiators and pipework.
| Home | Typical size | Installed guide price | After £7,500 grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 bedroom flat or small terrace | 4–5 kW | £9,500–£12,500 | £2,000–£5,000 |
| 2–3 bedroom terrace or semi | 5–7 kW | £10,500–£13,500 | £3,000–£6,000 |
| 3 bedroom semi or small detached | 6–9 kW | £12,000–£15,500 | £4,500–£8,000 |
| 4 bedroom detached | 8–12 kW | £14,000–£18,000 | £6,500–£10,500 |
| 5+ bedroom or larger older house | 11–16 kW | £16,500–£22,500 | £9,000–£15,000 |
Installed, inc VAT: unit, cylinder, controls, minor pipework and commissioning.
Towns we cover in Somerset
We cover 17 towns in Somerset 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bath | BA1 | Keynsham | 7 h 51 min |
| Weston-super-Mare | BS23 | Burnham-on-Sea | 7 h 51 min |
| Taunton | TA1 | Bridgwater | 7 h 54 min |
| Yeovil | BA20 | Sherborne | 7 h 55 min |
| Bridgwater | TA6 | Burnham-on-Sea | 7 h 53 min |
| Portishead | BS20 | Nailsea | 7 h 50 min |
| Frome | BA11 | Warminster | 7 h 52 min |
| Burnham-on-Sea | TA8 | Weston-super-Mare | 7 h 52 min |
| Clevedon | BS21 | Nailsea | 7 h 50 min |
| Nailsea | BS48 | Portishead | 7 h 50 min |
| Keynsham | BS31 | Kingswood | 7 h 50 min |
| Chard | TA20 | Taunton | 7 h 56 min |
| Glastonbury | BA6 | Street | 7 h 53 min |
| Minehead | TA24 | Burnham-on-Sea | 7 h 53 min |
| Shepton Mallet | BA4 | Wells | 7 h 53 min |
| Street | BA16 | Glastonbury | 7 h 53 min |
| Wells | BA5 | Shepton Mallet | 7 h 52 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.
Can I keep my electric immersion cylinder?
Usually not for heating by the heat pump, because a standard immersion cylinder has no coil, or one too small to take heat at low flow temperatures. A heat pump cylinder replaces it, often in the same cupboard, and keeps an immersion element as backup. If you choose an air-to-air system instead, which does not make hot water, the existing cylinder stays in use.
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.