We plan the whole change: the heat pump, cylinder and radiators, and what happens to the tank. Oil tanks are drained, cleaned and removed or made safe, and leased LPG tanks are usually collected by the supplier that owns them. Your quote sets out which parts are included and who arranges each one, so nothing is left loose at the end.
Cottages and farmhouses in and around Cambridgeshire often have solid walls, so the survey looks closely at construction and draughts. Rural properties near Cambridgeshire usually have garden space for the outdoor unit, sited away from windows and sheltered where possible. Owners across Cambridgeshire can have oil tank removal arranged alongside a heat pump installation in Cambridgeshire.
Who it suits
- Owners tired of fuel deliveries and tank maintenance
- Detached houses and bungalows with garden space for the unit
- Eligible homes in England and Wales within the higher grant window
- Older oil boilers nearing the end of their life
Grants and rules for heat pumps in England
Homes in Cambridgeshire 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.
Oil and LPG boiler replacement prices in Cambridgeshire
The ranges below are typical installed prices for homes in Cambridgeshire, including VAT. A survey sets the exact figure, because two similar-looking houses in Cambridgeshire can need quite different radiators and pipework.
| Home | Typical size | Installed guide price | After £9,000 grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–2 bedroom flat or small terrace | 4–5 kW | £9,700–£12,750 | £700–£3,750 |
| 2–3 bedroom terrace or semi | 5–7 kW | £10,700–£13,750 | £1,700–£4,750 |
| 3 bedroom semi or small detached | 6–9 kW | £12,250–£15,800 | £3,250–£6,800 |
| 4 bedroom detached | 8–12 kW | £14,300–£18,350 | £5,300–£9,350 |
| 5+ bedroom or larger older house | 11–16 kW | £16,850–£22,950 | £7,850–£13,950 |
Installed, inc VAT: unit, cylinder, controls, minor pipework and commissioning. The £9,000 Boiler Upgrade Scheme figure applies to oil and LPG replacements in England and Wales installed from 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027.
Towns we cover in Cambridgeshire
We cover 9 towns in Cambridgeshire for replacing an oil or LPG boiler with a heat pump. Each links to local guide prices and the grant position for England.
| Town | Postcode district | Nearest town | Midwinter daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peterborough | PE1 | Whittlesey | 7 h 38 min |
| Cambridge | CB2 | Royston | 7 h 42 min |
| Wisbech | PE13 | March | 7 h 37 min |
| St Neots | PE19 | Huntingdon | 7 h 42 min |
| Huntingdon | PE29 | St Neots | 7 h 41 min |
| March | PE15 | Wisbech | 7 h 39 min |
| Ely | CB6 | March | 7 h 40 min |
| Ramsey | PE26 | Whittlesey | 7 h 40 min |
| Whittlesey | PE7 | Peterborough | 7 h 38 min |
Replacing an oil or LPG boiler with a heat pump questions
What happens with a leased LPG tank?
Leased LPG tanks belong to the supplier, so the supplier arranges collection. Check your contract for notice periods and any charges before you fix a date. We time the switchover so you are not left without heating, and once the heat pump is commissioned the supplier can empty and remove the tank. Bottled LPG cylinders are simply returned.
Will I need bigger radiators in an older cottage or farmhouse?
Often in some rooms, because thick solid walls and older windows lose more heat, and heat pumps work at lower water temperatures than oil boilers. The survey checks each room. Rooms with high ceilings or large windows are common candidates for a larger radiator. Where swapping radiators is impractical, a high-temperature unit can be considered, with lower efficiency as the trade-off.
How much is the grant for replacing an oil boiler with a heat pump?
In England and Wales, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant is £9,000 when an air-to-water heat pump replaces oil or LPG heating, for installations from 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027. Otherwise the standard £7,500 applies. The installer claims it and deducts it from your quote. Scotland's Home Energy Scotland funding works differently and includes extra for eligible rural homes; Northern Ireland has no dedicated homeowner scheme at present.
Can a heat pump cope with an exposed rural spot?
Yes. Air source heat pumps are designed to keep working well below freezing, and they periodically defrost, giving off a little vapour, which is normal. In exposed locations the installer chooses a sheltered position where possible, raises the unit to clear snow and let defrost water drain, and sizes the system for the local winter design temperature used in the heat loss calculation.