- Guide price
- From £7,000 inc VAT
- Survey
- Free home survey for installation enquiries
- Coverage
- England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
A hybrid heat pump is an air-to-water heat pump installed alongside an existing gas, LPG or oil boiler, with a controller that decides which one supplies heat at any moment. Typically the heat pump covers mild and moderate weather, and the boiler takes over or helps on the coldest days, or whenever it is cheaper to run on the prices entered into the controller.
Hybrids appeal where a full heat pump is hard to do right now: a newer boiler with years of life left, a large or draughty house where a full system would need a very large unit and many radiator changes, or a combi home with no cylinder space, as some hybrids keep the combi for hot water. They can also be a step towards a full system later.
It is important to be clear about funding. In England and Wales, hybrid systems are not eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which requires the heat pump to meet the home's full heating and hot water needs. You also keep a fossil-fuel boiler, its servicing and, on mains gas, the standing charge. We set out both options at survey so you can compare a hybrid with a full heat pump fairly.
Who it suits
- Homes with a fairly new boiler the owner wants to keep using
- Large or hard-to-insulate homes where a full heat pump is difficult for now
- Combi homes with no room for a cylinder
- Owners who want a stepping stone towards a full heat pump later
Things to consider
- Hybrid systems are not eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme in England and Wales.
- You keep a boiler to service and, on mains gas, the gas standing charge.
- Two heat sources mean more equipment and more to maintain.
- Carbon reductions are smaller than with a full heat pump, because the boiler still runs on the coldest days.
How does a hybrid controller choose between the heat pump and the boiler?
The controller chooses the heat source using rules set at commissioning. Common approaches switch to the boiler below a set outdoor temperature, pick whichever is cheaper using the electricity and fuel prices entered, or favour lower carbon. Some run both together on the coldest days, with the heat pump preheating the water and the boiler topping it up.
Getting these settings right matters. If the boiler cuts in too early, the heat pump does little of the work; if the heat pump is pushed too hard in cold weather, it runs inefficiently. The installer sets them up for your home and shows you how to change them.
When does a hybrid make sense, and when does it not?
A hybrid can make sense when your boiler is relatively new, when heat loss is high and insulation work is limited, or when there is truly no space for a cylinder. It reduces how much fuel the boiler burns without all the upfront changes of a whole-house heat pump.
It makes less sense where a full heat pump is practical. In England and Wales a full air-to-water system can attract the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant of £7,500, which a hybrid cannot, and a full system lets you remove the gas meter. Our hybrid vs full heat pump guide compares the two in detail.
What does a hybrid system cost?
As a guide price, a hybrid heat pump alongside an existing boiler is £7,000–£11,000, installed and including VAT. That covers the outdoor unit, the hybrid controller and the connections to your existing heating, and may include a cylinder depending on the design. The final price is fixed in a written quote after the survey.
In England and Wales there is no Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant for hybrids. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, we check at survey whether any funding applies rather than assuming a grant.
What happens to my boiler servicing and warranty?
You keep the boiler, so it still needs its annual service by a registered gas engineer, or an oil technician for an oil boiler, alongside the heat pump's own service. Manufacturer warranties on the new equipment pass to you — the length depends on the make and model — and our workmanship guarantee is set out in writing in your quote. Check whether connecting a heat pump affects any existing boiler warranty.
What's included
- Free survey comparing a hybrid with a full heat pump for your home
- Outdoor heat pump unit sized to work with your boiler
- Hybrid controller and connection to your existing heating system
- Cylinder or combi integration, depending on the design
- Set-up of switchover rules, prices and temperatures at commissioning
- Handover with guidance on adjusting the controller
Hybrid heat pumps guide prices
| System | Installed guide price |
|---|---|
| Hybrid heat pump alongside an existing boiler | £7,000–£11,000 |
Installed, inc VAT. Hybrid systems are not eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
Hybrid heat pumps questions
Can I get the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant for a hybrid heat pump?
No. In England and Wales hybrid systems are not eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, because the scheme requires the heat pump to meet the home's full heating and hot water needs on its own. If a grant matters to your budget, a full air-to-water heat pump is the option that can qualify. In Scotland and Northern Ireland we check at survey what, if any, funding applies.
Will a hybrid heat pump lower my bills?
It can reduce how much gas, LPG or oil you burn, but the effect depends on how the controller is set, your insulation, your tariff and fuel prices. You keep a boiler to service and, on mains gas, the standing charge. We do not promise a figure; instead the survey gives an estimate for your home comparing a hybrid with a full heat pump.
Can a hybrid work with my combi boiler?
Yes, some hybrids are designed to work with a combi, with the heat pump heating the radiators and the combi continuing to provide hot water on demand. That avoids finding space for a cylinder, which is one of the main reasons people choose a hybrid. Other hybrid designs use a cylinder heated by the heat pump, with the boiler as backup.
Is a hybrid a good step towards a full heat pump?
It can be, if the outdoor unit and pipework are sized with a future full system in mind. Later, once insulation has improved or radiators have been upgraded, the boiler can be removed and the system converted, provided the heat pump is large enough for the full load. Raise this at survey so the design leaves room to change.
Does a hybrid switch between heat sources automatically?
Yes. The hybrid controller follows rules set at commissioning: it might switch to the boiler below a chosen outdoor temperature, compare running costs using the prices you enter, or prioritise lower carbon. Some systems run both together in very cold weather. The installer sets these for your home and shows you how to adjust them when tariffs change.
Do I still need to service my boiler with a hybrid?
Yes. The boiler still needs its annual service, by a registered gas engineer for gas or LPG or an oil technician for oil, and the heat pump needs its own annual service, which is often a condition of the manufacturer's warranty. Two heat sources mean slightly more maintenance than either a boiler or a heat pump on its own.