Why oil homes are often the best case for a heat pump
If you heat your home with oil, a heat pump is often a stronger case than it is for a home on mains gas. You are already off the gas grid, so a new gas boiler is not an option. Oil prices swing, deliveries need planning, and the tank needs looking after. In England and Wales the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant applies when you replace oil heating, which typically brings an air source heat pump to £3,500 to £7,000 fitted (typical prices, checked October 2026).
That does not mean every oil heated house is ready. Many are older rural homes with solid walls and big rooms, and those need a careful survey before anyone sizes a heat pump.
What changes in your home
| Now, with oil | After, with a heat pump |
|---|---|
| Boiler indoors or in an outhouse | Heat pump unit outside, controls and cylinder inside |
| Oil tank in the garden | Tank drained and removed or decommissioned |
| Deliveries to order and pay for | Heat paid for on your electricity bill |
| Radiators run hot in bursts | Radiators run warm for longer periods |
| Hot water from the boiler | Hot water from a cylinder heated by the heat pump |
The house feels different. Rooms are held at a steady temperature rather than heated up fast twice a day. Most people get used to it quickly, but it helps to know beforehand.
What happens during the switch
- Survey. An MCS-certified installer measures each room, works out the heat loss and sizes the heat pump. They check where the outdoor unit and cylinder will go.
- Quote. You get a fixed price listing the heat pump model, cylinder, any radiator changes and tank removal.
- Grant. In England and Wales the installer applies for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant and takes it off your bill.
- Installation. Usually 2 to 5 days. The oil boiler comes out, the heat pump, cylinder and controls go in, and radiators are swapped where needed.
- Handover. The installer commissions the system, sets the controls and walks you through how to run it.
- Tank. Once you are happy the new system works, the tank is emptied and dealt with.
Time the switch for when your tank is low. Paying for a fill you will not use is money wasted, though some installers can arrange for leftover oil to be taken away.
Older rural homes
Many oil heated homes are farmhouses, cottages and stone terraces. They can run a heat pump well, but they lose more heat than a modern semi, so the survey matters more. Expect some of these:
- Larger radiators in the coldest rooms.
- Loft insulation topped up and draughts sealed. There is no insulation requirement for the grant, but it cuts running costs.
- A bigger heat pump than a similar sized modern house would need.
If your house is very hard to heat, read are heat pumps right for older houses. Homes with land may also want to look at ground source, which handles cold spells well.
Scotland and Northern Ireland
In Scotland the Boiler Upgrade Scheme does not apply, but Home Energy Scotland offers a grant and optional interest-free loan. Apply before any work starts. In Northern Ireland the Boiler Upgrade Scheme does not apply either, so check NI Energy Advice for any current support before you buy.
Ask your installer to show you the heat loss figure for each room and the flow temperature (the temperature of the water sent to the radiators) the system is designed for. Lower flow temperatures mean cheaper running, and a good installer will explain the choice.
Choosing an installer
Every heat pump installer City Boiler connects you with is MCS certified, which you need for the grant. You can check any installer on the MCS register. Get the model, size, cylinder, radiator list and tank work written into one fixed price before you sign.
Common questions
Can I get the grant to replace an oil boiler?
Yes. In England and Wales the Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £7,500 off an air source or ground source heat pump when it replaces fossil fuel heating, which includes oil, as of October 2026. You need a valid EPC and an MCS-certified installer, who claims the grant for you.
What happens to my oil tank?
Once the heat pump is running, the tank can be drained, cleaned and removed, or decommissioned and left in place. Ask for this to be priced separately in your quote. Any oil left in it needs safe disposal.
Will a heat pump keep an old rural house warm?
Often, yes, but it depends on how much heat the house loses. Thick stone walls, single glazing and draughts all raise the heat a heat pump must supply. A room by room heat loss survey tells you whether it can cope and what needs changing first.
Do I need to change my radiators?
Some, not usually all. A heat pump runs the radiators cooler than an oil boiler, so rooms with small radiators may need larger ones. The survey identifies exactly which.