The trade-off is efficiency. The hotter the water a heat pump makes, the more electricity it needs for each unit of heat, so a system running at 65°C has a lower seasonal efficiency than one running at 45°C. Good design still matters: weather compensation runs the unit cooler on mild days and only raises the temperature in the coldest weather, which keeps running costs down across the year.
Older homes around the East Riding of Yorkshire often need a discreet unit position, such as a rear courtyard, which the survey looks for first. A survey in the East Riding of Yorkshire can compare a high-temperature unit with upsizing a few radiators, for homes anywhere in the East Riding of Yorkshire. For older the East Riding of Yorkshire homes with microbore pipework, a higher flow temperature can avoid lifting floors to replace pipes.
Who it suits
- Older homes where insulation improvements are limited
- Period and listed homes where the radiators are part of the character
- Homes with microbore pipework that would be disruptive to replace
- Owners who want fewer changes inside the house
Grants and rules for heat pumps in England
Homes in the East Riding of Yorkshire 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.
High-temperature heat pumps prices in the East Riding of Yorkshire
Here are typical prices for high-temperature heat pumps in the East Riding of Yorkshire, 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 | £9,300–£12,250 | £1,800–£4,750 |
| 2–3 bedroom terrace or semi | 5–7 kW | £10,300–£13,250 | £2,800–£5,750 |
| 3 bedroom semi or small detached | 6–9 kW | £11,750–£15,200 | £4,250–£7,700 |
| 4 bedroom detached | 8–12 kW | £13,700–£17,650 | £6,200–£10,150 |
| 5+ bedroom or larger older house | 11–16 kW | £16,150–£22,050 | £8,650–£14,550 |
Installed, inc VAT: unit, cylinder, controls, minor pipework and commissioning. A high-temperature unit typically adds £1,500–£3,000.
Towns we cover in the East Riding of Yorkshire
We cover 9 towns in the East Riding of Yorkshire for high-temperature heat pumps. Each links to local guide prices and the grant position for England.
| Town | Postcode district | Nearest town | Midwinter daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | HU1 | Beverley | 7 h 25 min |
| Bridlington | YO16 | Driffield | 7 h 21 min |
| Beverley | HU17 | Hull | 7 h 24 min |
| Goole | DN14 | Howden | 7 h 26 min |
| Brough | HU15 | Hull | 7 h 25 min |
| Driffield | YO25 | Beverley | 7 h 22 min |
| Hornsea | HU18 | Beverley | 7 h 23 min |
| Howden | DN14 | Goole | 7 h 25 min |
| Pocklington | YO42 | Howden | 7 h 23 min |
High-temperature heat pumps questions
Are high-temperature heat pumps eligible for the grant?
In England and Wales, yes. A high-temperature unit is an air-to-water heat pump, so eligible owners of existing homes can receive £7,500 through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, or £9,000 when replacing oil or LPG within the published dates. Scotland's Home Energy Scotland funding has its own conditions, and Northern Ireland has no dedicated homeowner grant at present.
Why do many high-temperature units use R290?
R290 is propane, a natural refrigerant with a very low global warming impact. Its properties make higher water temperatures more achievable than with some earlier refrigerants. Because it is flammable, manufacturers set clearance zones around the outdoor unit from windows, doors, drains and other openings, which the survey uses when choosing a position.
Are high-temperature heat pumps less efficient?
Yes, when they run hot. Every heat pump uses more electricity per unit of heat as the flow temperature rises, so a unit running at 70°C is less efficient than one running at 45°C. With weather compensation it runs cooler for much of the year, which narrows the gap. The design aims to keep the maximum temperature as low as your radiators allow.
Is a high-temperature heat pump right for a listed building?
It can be, because it reduces the need to replace period radiators or lift historic floors for new pipework. The outdoor unit position still matters: in England, listed buildings need listed building consent for external works, and the other nations have their own rules. We check what applies at survey and look for discreet positions, such as a rear courtyard or behind an outbuilding.