There are around 23 million gas boilers in homes throughout the UK.
So, when news broke of a gas boiler ban, naturally there were a lot of questions from concerned British homeowners.
Should they go out and replace their gas boiler immediately? Will there be fines for using a gas boiler beyond the 2025 cut-off date? These questions and more are answered below…
Why are gas boilers being banned?
It’s an obvious place to start: Why ban gas boilers at all? Well, it all ties in with the UK’s commitment to reduce its carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.
Phasing out boilers powered by natural gas is just one part of the plan and there’s plenty being done elsewhere to hit that target, with new policies set for everything from biomass and solar power to electric vehicles and nuclear reactors.
When will gas boilers be banned?
2025; that’s when the new rules will officially take effect.
Do I need to replace my gas boiler before then?
No. Strictly speaking, you won’t need to do anything before or after the 2025 ban kicks in.
That’s because the ban only refers to the installation of gas boilers to new build homes from 2025.
Current homeowners do not need to do anything as the ban won’t impact them but that doesn’t mean the rules won’t be changed down the line.
What should I do if I need a new gas boiler today?
Go right ahead. Until 2025, there’s nothing stopping you from replacing your home’s old gas boiler with a new one. Chances are a new gas boiler will be more efficient and use less gas than what you had before.
However, if you wanted to adopt a more forward-thinking approach, you could consider replacing your gas boiler with one of the low-energy, zero-emissions alternatives available, such as an electric storage heater, air source heat pump, or hydrogen boiler.
What happens if I need a new gas boiler after 2025?
Unfortunately, if you want a new gas boiler beyond the 2025 cut-off, you could be left out in the cold. However, the ban means it’s only illegal to add gas boilers to new build properties, so it remains to be seen how it affects existing properties.
My current gas boiler is working fine - do I need to do anything?
Not at all. If your gas boiler isn’t causing you any problems, then there’s no need to act. Just keep it serviced regularly, and it’ll serve you well for the rest of its natural lifespan.
Has news of the ban affected the price of a new gas boiler?
Right now, there’s nothing to suggest the news has done anything to influence the cost of installing a new gas boiler.
Prices range between £600-900 for a new budget boiler, stretching to around £1,300 for higher-end models. However, that’s without labour costs (around £300 a day) or factoring in any additional work like fitting new pipes, altering existing ones, or adding a control system.
How much does a heat pump cost?
The cost of installing an air source heat pump starts from £3,000 for a standard installation with the government grant included but can reach up to £18,000.
Households across England and Wales can access a £5,000 grant to replace their boiler with a more environmentally friendly heating system as part of the UK Government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which aims to fund 90,000 pumps over three years.
In Scotland, homeowners can apply for the even more generous £7,500 grant from Home Energy Scotland, whilst people living in rural areas can receive an extra £1,500.
Are heat pumps any good?
British Gas seems to think so. The company has promised to refund their customers if a heat pump doesn’t keep their home as cosy as a gas boiler.
That’s on top of a five-year warranty and the claim that heat pumps are 350% efficient, compared with 90% for the best boilers on the market.
Will there be fines for using a gas boiler beyond the 2025 cut-off date?
No. You can keep using your gas boiler for as long as it’ll allow without the fear of being fined.
How long do gas boilers last for?
In an average household, a conventional gas boiler will last for 10 to 15 years. But the average life of a boiler depends on the model, and there are examples of a gas boiler lasting 20, even 30, years!
Who supported a ban on new gas boilers?
The International Energy Agency (IEA) was calling for a ban on the sale of new fossil fuel boilers as far back as 2021.
It was just one of their 400 proposed steps to deliver net-zero carbon emissions. Other ideas included halting the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035, and a four-fold rise in the number of wind and solar energy installations by 2030.
