Replacing a gas boiler with a heat pump means removing the boiler and installing an air-to-water heat pump that heats your radiators and a stored hot water cylinder instead. Most UK homes heat with mains gas, so this is the switch many households are weighing up, and the existing radiators and pipework can often be reused with some changes. What needs most planning depends on the type of boiler you have now.
Many gas-heated homes in Merseyside have a combi boiler in the kitchen, so the survey starts by finding the right place for a cylinder. If your home still cooks on gas, we talk through whether to keep the supply or switch to an induction hob. Installers in Merseyside take out the old boiler and flue and seal the wall opening as part of the job.
Who it suits
- Combi owners who can find space for a hot water cylinder
- System or regular boiler homes with an existing airing cupboard
- Households ready to give up gas entirely and drop the standing charge
- Homes in England and Wales eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme
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.
There is no VAT on installing a heat pump anywhere in the UK until 31 March 2027. In England most houses can have an air source heat pump under permitted development, provided the unit meets the MCS noise and siting standards; the old 1 m boundary limit was removed on 29 May 2025. We flag listed buildings, flats and sensitive conservation-area positions at survey.
Gas boiler to heat pump prices in Merseyside
These are guide prices for Merseyside, 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 | After £7,500 grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 bedroom flat or small terrace | 4–5 kW | £9,200–£12,150 | £1,700–£4,650 |
| 2–3 bedroom terrace or semi | 5–7 kW | £10,200–£13,100 | £2,700–£5,600 |
| 3 bedroom semi or small detached | 6–9 kW | £11,650–£15,050 | £4,150–£7,550 |
| 4 bedroom detached | 8–12 kW | £13,600–£17,450 | £6,100–£9,950 |
| 5+ bedroom or larger older house | 11–16 kW | £16,000–£21,850 | £8,500–£14,350 |
Installed, inc VAT: unit, cylinder, controls, minor pipework and commissioning.
Towns we cover in Merseyside
We cover 14 towns in Merseyside for replacing a gas boiler with a heat pump. Each links to local guide prices and the grant position for England.
| Town | Postcode district | Nearest town | Midwinter daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | L3 | Birkenhead | 7 h 29 min |
| Birkenhead | CH41 | Liverpool | 7 h 29 min |
| St Helens | WA10 | Prescot | 7 h 29 min |
| Southport | PR8 | Formby | 7 h 26 min |
| Wallasey | CH45 | Birkenhead | 7 h 29 min |
| Bootle | L21 | Wallasey | 7 h 28 min |
| Bebington | CH63 | Birkenhead | 7 h 30 min |
| Huyton | L36 | Prescot | 7 h 29 min |
| Kirkby | L32 | Maghull | 7 h 28 min |
| Prescot | L34 | Huyton | 7 h 29 min |
| Heswall | CH60 | Bebington | 7 h 30 min |
| Maghull | L31 | Kirkby | 7 h 28 min |
| Formby | L37 | Maghull | 7 h 27 min |
| Halewood | L26 | Huyton | 7 h 30 min |
Replacing a gas boiler with a heat pump questions
Should I have my gas meter removed?
If gas is used for nothing else, removing the meter ends the gas standing charge, which is about £108 a year at the October to December 2026 price cap. If you still cook on gas or have a gas fire, you will need to keep the supply. Meter removal is arranged through your gas supplier, usually once the heat pump is running; the pipe at the boiler position is capped during the installation.
Is there a grant to replace a gas boiler with a heat pump?
In England and Wales, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £7,500 towards an air-to-water heat pump that replaces a gas boiler, for eligible owners of existing homes. The MCS-certified installer applies to Ofgem and deducts the grant from your quote, and Ofgem contacts you to confirm. Scotland has separate Home Energy Scotland funding, and Northern Ireland has no dedicated homeowner grant at present.
Will my hot water run out with a heat pump?
Not if the cylinder is sized properly for your household. The survey asks how many people live in the home, how many bathrooms you have and whether you prefer baths or showers, then sizes the cylinder to suit. The heat pump reheats the cylinder on a schedule, often overnight and again during the day, and an immersion heater acts as a backup.
Do I need to replace the cylinder I already have?
Usually, yes. Older cylinders have a small internal coil designed for water from a boiler at around 60–70°C, and they cannot take in heat quickly enough at the lower temperatures a heat pump runs at. A heat pump cylinder has a larger coil. On its own, a cylinder supplied and fitted has a guide price of £1,200–£2,200, installed and including VAT, though it is normally part of the full system price.