Martin McCluskey MP has welcomed record demand for government heat pump grants after new figures showed applications more than doubled compared with the same period last year.
Official statistics published by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero show that July was a record month for applications from households seeking support to replace oil and LPG heating systems.
The increase follows Labour government action to make clean heating more affordable for rural and off-grid households, which are particularly exposed to unpredictable changes in global fossil-fuel prices.
McCluskey, the Labour MP for Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West and Minister for Energy Consumers, said:
“Record numbers of people applied for a heat pump grant in July—more than double this time last year.
“This was partly driven by action we’ve taken to help people on oil and LPG.
“If you’re considering a heat pump, check out the details.”
Since 21 July, eligible households in England and Wales replacing heating oil or LPG systems have been able to receive £9,000 towards the installation of an air-to-water or ground-source heat pump.
The enhanced grant represents a 20 per cent increase on the standard £7,500 available through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
The temporary uplift will remain available until 31 March 2027 and is designed to support households in rural communities that are not connected to the mains gas network.
Unlike households using gas and electricity, those dependent on heating oil are not protected by Ofgem’s energy price cap and can therefore be hit particularly hard by sudden increases in international fuel prices.
Around 200,000 potentially eligible households across England and Wales have been contacted with information about the additional support.
The Labour government has also confirmed more than £50 million of targeted assistance for vulnerable households relying on heating oil.
Heat pumps use electricity to transfer warmth from the air or ground into a property, providing an efficient alternative to traditional fossil-fuel boilers.
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme reduces the upfront cost of installation, with an accredited installer applying for the grant on behalf of the property owner and deducting it from the final bill.
Households replacing gas heating can continue to receive £7,500 towards an eligible air-to-water or ground-source system, while other grants are available for air-to-air heat pumps and biomass boilers in qualifying properties.
The latest figures provide further evidence that government support is helping more families consider moving to cleaner and more secure forms of home heating.
They also demonstrate the importance of ensuring that the transition to clean energy delivers practical benefits for households, particularly those facing the greatest exposure to volatile fossil-fuel markets.
McCluskey has stressed that the government’s clean-energy programme is about reducing bills, increasing energy security and giving families greater protection against events overseas.
The growing popularity of the scheme represents encouraging progress towards those objectives, while also supporting skilled jobs in manufacturing, installation and the wider clean-energy supply chain.
Labour’s Warm Homes Plan will build on this progress by helping households improve energy efficiency, install clean technologies and reduce the amount of energy needed to keep their homes warm.
The record level of applications in July suggests that families are ready to embrace cleaner heating when the right financial support is available.
By increasing the grant for oil and LPG households, the Labour government is helping ensure that people living in rural and off-grid communities are not left behind in Britain’s transition to affordable, homegrown energy.
Sources: Department for Energy Security and Net Zero statistics, government grant announcement.
