Dr Matthew Aylott

Today we've published the Warm Homes Plan. The Plan details how we will help reduce energy bills and transform our housing stock by upgrading millions of homes up and down the UK with solar panels, batteries, heat pumps & insulation 👉gov.uk/government/pub…

Ahead of publishing the Warm Homes Plan: 🏡 We've announced that the Boiler Upgrade Scheme will expand to support air to air heat pumps & heat batteries gov.uk/government/con… 🏢 We're also consulting on the future role of alternative clean heat tech gov.uk/government/con…

The UK Govt is putting heat pumps at the heart of its Industrial Strategy. Published yesterday the 'Clean Energy Industries Sector Plan' list heat pumps as 1 of 6 areas with highest growth potential & commits to a 10 point action plan to grow the sector: gov.uk/government/pub…

@ewan_chamings (4/4) Allowing air-to-air heat pumps that can also provide a cooling function to benefit from the same permitted development rights as air to water heat pumps.

@ewan_chamings (3/4) Doubling the number of air source heat pumps permitted, from one to two for detached dwelling houses, to allow cascade systems to benefit from the same rules as individual units.

We've published new legislation to relax rules around permitted development for heat pumps. Changes will come into effect from 29 May and should make it easier for consumers to install a heat pump without a full planning application.   For more info visit: legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/560/…

@willow_peck The max permissible noise limit remains the same and MCS have also tightened the Noise Planning Standard 020, so it more accurately calculates the noise emissions from a heat pump. The changes to permitted development will be kept under review to monitor any impact on the public.

@renewablewriter Hi Matt, won’t this permit: 1. a unit 0cm from neighbour’s home that 2. isn’t rated for tonality (can add 6dB(A)) 3. runs all day & night through summer for cooling (big change) All permitted under PD which even before weakening saw 1/6 UK owners unhappy with noise (Nesta 2023)?

@GavinAndrewsLS It’s not immediately obvious but Amendment 5(3)(c) refers to the removal of the 1m rule in The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015.

@renewablewriter Thanks. The consultation for this had indicated the 1m distance to property boundary requirement would be removed, but I can't see that obviously in the written clauses. Does one of the clauses result in this change still please?

Today we've announced new measures to help UK consumers switch from fossil fuels to low carbon heating, including proposals to extend grants to new tech like heat batteries and air-to-air heat pumps, and further investment in the heat pump supply chain -> gov.uk/government/new…

@KinningParkBear That sounds like a looped connection to me. And yes if you are installing a heat pump, the network operator should remove the looped connection and replace it with a direct service cable from the mains network in the street. At no cost to you.

@renewablewriter Maybe I didn't make it clear. It's not looped. It's semi detached property with single phase to neighbour then conduit with single core cables to my location. Are U saying I can get a free underground cable installed?

Watch our new heat pump TV advert which we hope will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside. Join thousands of happy heat pump owners with a £7,500 grant to upgrade your boiler to a heat pump. Find out if a heat pump is right for your home 👇 gov.uk/heatpumps

@KinningParkBear Looped services are not common but some older semi-detached and terraced homes still have them. The distribution network operator should deloop a service free of charge to the customer.

@renewablewriter Typically?? Currently have an internal service from adjacent property. We share the same fuse.

@PeanutTilly @energygovuk The average cost of an air source heat pump under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (including upgraded radiators, pipework and thermal store) is £12,927, minus the £7,500 grant, leaving the typical customer having to pay £5,427.

@energygovuk Air source heat pumps circa 14k, ground source 28k to 57k, either way you need space for hot water cylinder inside, upgraded radiators and pipework. Please be honest about the costs 7.5k doesn't really touch the sides. Folks should read information from energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/in-dept…

@shoottheducks @energygovuk Any government funded heat pump install must be designed to deliver minimum levels of thermal comfort as prescribed by the CIBSE Design Guide. And the vast majority of people who have a heat pump installed are satisfied with the heating they provide, see nesta.org.uk/report/heat-pu…

@energygovuk Nobody - NOBODY - will be warmer with a heat pump. This is a fraud.

@KinningParkBear @energygovuk You don’t need to rewire the house to fit a heat pump. Most homes with a 80 or 100A mains fuse will be absolutely fine to have a heat pump, and for those who don’t have an 80 or 100A fuse the distribution network operator will typically fit one for free.

@energygovuk Absolutely no chance. Electricity cable won't cope.

Today we launch our ‘warm and fuzzy’ heat pump campaign across TV, radio and the web to help raise awareness of heat pumps and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant. Watch the video below or visit the campaign webpage at gov.uk/heatpumps

@James_BG Definitely something to worry about. And NOAA data shows during last major warming cycle 136,000 years ago, global temp rose 20F in 8,000 yrs or 0.003F/yr. But in the last 50 yrs, it’s risen by 0.03F/yr or ten times as fast.

There are supposedly serious people who think this chart is absolutely definitely nothing to worry about.

Yesterday we published a review by the @EnergySysCat which looked at air to air heat pumps and the important role they could play in decarbonising UK homes: gov.uk/government/pub…

@mikefosterEUA I try and stick to the social media guidance for civil servants, which if you really really want to read over the Christmas holidays 🙂 you can find here: gov.uk/government/pub… Anyway Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

@renewablewriter So you tweet in an official capacity on behalf of the department? I just wanted to check your status.

A reminder that 90% of boilers are made in the UK; two-thirds of heat pumps are imported. Without imported electricity heat pumps are of little or no use. Let’s stop the misuse of “patriotism”.