Heat pump running cost for a 2-bedroom detached house
A 2-bedroom detached house uses roughly 10,750 kWh of heat a year. At the current Ofgem price cap an air source heat pump (SCOP 3.5) would cost about £802/yr to run, versus about £982/yr for mains gas. That is roughly £180 saved a year. A typical ~5kW system costs about £10,500, or £3,000 after the £7,500 grant, paying back in about 16.7 years.
Your region (sets local prices)
Property type
Bedrooms
Insulation
Current heating & its price
p/kWh
p/kWh
A heat-pump tariff can be ~13-15p.
Efficiency. 3.5 is typical.
£
A heat pump would cut your heating bill by
£180/yr
18% cheaper to run · ~5kW system
- Now: mains gas heating
- £982/yr
- Heat pump running cost
- £802/yr
- Gas standing charge saved
- £106/yr
- Install after grant
- £3,000
- Payback time
- 16.7 years
- CO₂ saved
- 1,550 kg/yr
Estimate only. Real figures depend on your home, install and tariff. Prices: Ofgem cap, Jul-Sep 2026.