Air source heat pumps
The managed route off gas, without the paperwork landing on your employees.
An air source heat pump extracts warmth from outside air and upgrades it to heat the home and its hot water. It runs on electricity at three to four times the efficiency of a gas boiler, and the scheme handles the survey, the grant application and the install.
- Member discount
- Up to 15%
- Typical efficiency
- 300–400%
- Grant support
- Handled for you
How air source heat pumps work, in plain English
No jargon and no assumed knowledge. This is the explanation to share with your people when they ask what they are actually buying.
- 1
There is warmth in cold air
Even at freezing, outdoor air holds usable warmth. A fan draws that air across a coil in the unit outside the house.
- 2
Compressing it makes it hot
A liquid inside picks up the warmth and is then squeezed by a pump, which raises its temperature sharply. It is the same principle as a fridge, running in reverse.
- 3
Heat moves to your water
That heat passes into the home's water, which circulates through radiators or underfloor pipes and into the hot water tank.
- 4
Gentle heat over longer periods
A heat pump warms the home steadily at a lower temperature rather than firing hard for short bursts. That is why radiators are sometimes resized, and why the house feels evenly warm.
What's included
A full heat-loss survey of the property before anything is quoted.
Correctly sized radiators or underfloor circuits so the system runs at low flow temperatures.
Government grant paperwork prepared and submitted on the household's behalf.
Commissioning, controls training and aftercare from an MCS-certified installer.
What it changes in an employee's home
Efficiency gas cannot match
For every unit of electricity used, a well-designed heat pump delivers three to four units of heat into the home.
Grants do the heavy lifting
Available government grants cut thousands from the upfront cost, and the member discount comes off on top.
Better with solar and storage
Paired with panels and a battery, much of the heating load can be met by power the household generated itself.
Is your home suitable?
A heat pump suits a home that holds its heat. A full survey is done before any quote, and if the property is not ready the installer will say so and recommend what to do first.
Usually a good fit
- You own the property, or you have the owner's written consent.
- Loft and cavity insulation already done, or easy to do.
- Space outside for a unit roughly the size of a large washing machine, with air able to flow around it.
- Room indoors for a hot water tank, often in an airing cupboard or utility room.
- Larger radiators or underfloor heating, or the willingness to have some radiators upsized.
Needs a closer look
- Flats with no outdoor space of their own.
- Very draughty or uninsulated homes, where insulation should come first.
- Homes with no room at all for a hot water tank.
- Listed buildings, where consent for the outdoor unit may be needed.
Cost and payback
Indicative figures for a typical UK three-bedroom home. Every employee sees exact numbers on their own live online quote.
- Typical upfront cost
- From £2,500 after the government grant
- Government grant
- Applied for on your behalf
- Member discount
- Up to 15% off, on top of the grant
- Typical annual saving
- £100 to £400 a year versus gas
- Install time
- 2 to 3 days on site
- Efficiency
- 3 to 4 units of heat per unit of electricity
Running costs depend on the tariff and how well the home holds heat. Pairing a heat pump with solar and a battery is what turns a modest saving into a strong one.
Free for employers. Nothing to fund, nothing for payroll to run
One short agreement opens air source heat pumps to your whole workforce. We handle every employee question, quote and install from there. See how it works for employers.
Bring air source heat pumps to your team.
Tell us a little about your organisation and we'll come back with the employee-facing detail, or book a demo and we'll walk you through the walled garden.
New to the scheme? Read how it works for employers.
Delivered by Net Zero Benefits, alongside The Electric Car Scheme, the UK's largest independent salary sacrifice provider.
Other categories
See the scheme end to end in 20 minutes.
A live walkthrough with the team who built it.
- The employee experience, from sign up to install.
- Exactly what the discounts look like across each product.
- What you would need to launch it: no payroll changes, no budget.
- Your questions, answered by a person who knows the answer.
Not ready for a call? and we'll send the employer pack.
Air source heat pumps questions your people will ask
If something here is not covered, ask it on the demo and we will answer it straight.
Will a heat pump keep my house warm in winter?
Yes, when it is sized correctly for the property. A heat-loss survey works out exactly how much heat the home needs on the coldest day of the year, and the system is designed to meet it.
Is it cheaper to run than a gas boiler?
Usually, though it depends on the tariff. Electricity costs more per unit than gas, but a heat pump delivers three to four units of heat per unit of electricity, which more than closes the gap.
Do I need new radiators?
Sometimes, but rarely all of them. Because a heat pump runs at a lower temperature, a few radiators may need to be larger. The survey identifies which ones, and it is priced in the quote rather than sprung on you later.
Are heat pumps noisy?
They are quieter than most people expect, comparable to a fridge heard from a few metres away. Placement is chosen during the survey to keep noise away from bedrooms and neighbours.
How does the government grant work?
There is a grant that takes thousands off the upfront cost of a heat pump. The installer prepares and submits the paperwork on the household's behalf, and the grant is deducted from the price rather than claimed back later.
Can I keep my gas boiler as a backup?
In some properties a hybrid setup is possible, but most homes that pass the survey do not need one. The installer will explain what makes sense for the specific house.
What if my home is not suitable?
You will be told plainly, with no charge and no pressure. The advice will usually be insulation or draught-proofing first, and the scheme's other products remain open in the meantime.