UK gas & heating news — for engineers on the tools
The spot price for heating oil has risen 95.3% year-on-year to 102.3p/litre, well above the 12-month average of 77.8p, as rural households prepare to fill…
Navien and Passiv UK have partnered to offer the PEM750 air source heat pump with the Passiv Smart Thermostat, independently verified by the Energy Saving…
The UK's Federation of Environmental Trade Associations — which runs the secretariat for the Heat Pump Association UK and represents 400+ HVACR manufacturers —…
PM Burnham pledged to bring UK energy costs in line with European competitors at Labour Conference, backed by a £90bn grid investment plan. Energy UK welcomes…
Analysis of 61,483 homeowner forum posts reveals a 24× increase in heat pump installation complaints since 2021 — with heat loss calculations skipped, weather…
Worcester Bosch's Martyn Bridges analyses PM Burnham's VAT cut on electricity and new DESNZ Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh's early signals — welcoming her…
West Midlands Mayor toured Lawton Tubes' new £20m headquarters, underscoring the copper tube manufacturer's growth amid surging demand for air conditioning and…
Rinnai's Chris Goggin examines how the UK's 285,000km gas network and 23 million connected properties mean natural gas will remain central to domestic hot…
OFTEC warns that government proposals to create consumer protections only for grant-funded heating upgrades risk leaving self-funding households with weaker…
Over 120 organisations — including Worcester Bosch, Vaillant, Daikin, Mitsubishi Electric and the CBI — have signed a letter to the chancellor urging the…
DESNZ figures show MCS-certified heat pump retrofit installations fell 22% in H1 2026 compared to H1 2025, with just 20,895 installs recorded. BEAMA is calling…
An AI receptionist that answers calls, qualifies jobs and books appointments while you're on the tools. 69% of callers hang up on voicemail — at £200–600 per…
Energy minister Martin McCluskey used his InstallerSHOW fireside chat to reaffirm the £15bn Warm Homes Plan targeting 5 million homes by 2030, telling…
Six months after ECO4 and GBIS ended on 31 March, 10M+ UK households are in fuel poverty, 19,423 retrofit professionals have been made redundant, and 209…
From March 2027, new builds must cut carbon emissions 75-80%, making heat pumps the default compliance technology. Ariston's Carolina Allegrini explains why…
Russell Dean warns that while July's VAT cut on electricity helped, the October price cap rise driven by Middle East conflict proves the "Spark Gap" between…
Nesta analysis reveals UK households have spent up to £8 million on heat pump planning applications since 2015, despite 80%+ approval rates even for listed…
An exceptionally strong El Niño is forecast to bring milder, wetter and stormier conditions from October — Arctic Hayes warns installers to brace for a surge…
The government has relaxed non-domestic MEES deadlines: buildings over 1,000m² now have until 2031 for the Band B upgrade, smaller buildings are exempt…
A Markel Direct survey found 84% of UK tradespeople get at least some business via social platforms, with 59% saying it boosted sales. But only 39% have…
Powered Now CEO Benjamin Dyer argues the skills crisis was entirely self-inflicted: decades of pushing kids toward degrees and desks have left the average gas…
Over 125,000 heat pumps were sold in the UK last year, with 36% manufactured domestically. Growth is solid but slowing — to hit the government's…
A £1,500 uplift takes the BUS grant to £9,000 specifically for oil and LPG-heated homes switching to heat pumps, aimed at rural households hammered by the…
Worcester Bosch's Martyn Bridges lays out the numbers: Q1 2026 retrofit heat pump installs were just 10,693 — down 18% on the previous quarter and 22%…
UK heat pump installations jumped 27% in 2025, according to new data from the Heat Pump Association, as the market keeps accelerating. Installers who can…
Boiler sales are on track to hit 1.3 million units in 2026, yet the Clean Heat Market Mechanism's heat-pump quota still targets a market that hasn't…
The government has added a £1,500 uplift to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, taking the grant for oil and LPG-heated homes to £9,000. It's a bigger incentive to…
New polling commissioned by the Energy and Utilities Alliance suggests the proposed oil boiler ban could cost sitting MPs votes at the next election. The…
Vokèra's Neil Mattock maps the year ahead: gas boiler replacements stay the core of the market, but installers who diversify into heat pumps are best placed to…
Alpha's Darran Smith walks through the long-term future of the UK gas grid as the country shifts to low-carbon heat. It's a useful read for engineers planning…
Nesta welcomes the government's move to devolve elements of the Warm Homes Plan but warns that devolving the Boiler Upgrade Scheme itself "would effectively…
Panasonic has unveiled a refreshed brand identity for its heating and cooling division, backed by a €320m heat pump factory expansion in the Czech Republic and…
Germany's Fraunhofer institutes have developed the WESPE digital platform and a prototype AR app that together could slash heat pump retrofit installation…
Drayton's upgraded smart TRV delivers near-silent operation, 2+ years of battery life with rechargeable Ni-MH compatibility, and fits 95% of radiator valves —…
HSE reveals 17 convictions for illegal gas work in just 18 months as part of Gas Safety Week — up sharply from 3-4 in previous years. A sharp warning to…
John Guest's Lee Halstead argues push-fit systems deliver value beyond installation speed — corrosion resistance, demountable connections for future…
EHC's updated Comet System electric boiler strips out unnecessary complexity to deliver a simpler, cheaper (£210 less than predecessor) option for off-gas-grid…
Danish heat pump specialist Solid Energy teams up with steam engineering firm Clayton to develop high-temp heat pumps capable of producing industrial steam at…
The Construction Industry Council is urging government to build on existing professional competence frameworks rather than starting from scratch — warning that…
Baxi has launched the Megaflo Essential cylinder range with a dedicated ASHP model featuring high-surface-area coil, twin 3kW immersions and internal expansion…
Drayton's upgraded smart TRV delivers near-silent operation, 2+ years of battery life with rechargeable Ni-MH compatibility, and fits 95% of radiator valves —…
WD-40's first water-based formula is a non-flammable, non-abrasive degreaser safe on paintwork, aluminium and rubber — with 98% of tradespeople saying it meets…
UKAS has approved updates bringing air-to-air heat pumps into the MCS Installer Scheme, with NAPIT and NICEIC already expressing interest in offering…
Conex Bänninger says demand for its Press copper M-profile fitting range has been "unprecedented" over the summer, with stockists' shelves emptying as…
Hive has partnered with energy tech company Enode to bring hundreds of third-party smart energy devices — EV chargers, solar panels, home batteries — into its…
As heating season approaches, Navien's Greg Banham outlines why pre-winter checks, annual servicing and educating customers on basic maintenance can turn…
Arctic Hayes has launched a Bluetooth-connected pipe freezing clamp with real-time app monitoring and ultrasonic sensing that tells engineers exactly when an…
tado°'s second-gen Smart Thermostat X is just 17.8mm thin with USB-C rechargeable battery, AI Assist for automatic weather-based optimisation, and certified…
Haier's Graham Hendra has launched an AI chatbot at energydonkey.com that answers heat pump questions and can directly monitor and optimise real-world heat…
Smart Energy Training launched its Essential Trade Futures campaign, calling on employers to pledge support for apprenticeships in gas, plumbing, electrical…
Balsham Boilers' install of Navien's LCB700 28kW oil boiler showcases the benefits of three-zone-ready zoning, HVO compatibility, and a lightweight 70kg…
SAV's new RavenWatch platform provides real-time heat network performance monitoring, helping building managers identify problems early and prepare for HNTAS…
FRÄNKISCHE's CEO reveals multilayer composite pipe now costs half the price of equivalent copper and suits low-temperature heat pump systems perfectly.…
CP42 certification now covers all gas appliances — cookers, direct-fired heaters, and water heaters — not just boilers. Buildings with 5+ appliances now…
EDF is offering a limited-time £1,000 heat pump savings package on Daikin and Ideal units, plus a free 7-year service and warranty. With the BUS grant applied,…
Viessmann's two new-generation R290 monobloc air-source heat pumps are aimed squarely at boiler replacement in UK homes, co-developed with UK installers. Part…
The 2026 Building Regulations (SI 2026 No. 335) tighten Part L and introduce a new L3 duty requiring on-site renewable electricity from March 2027. New-build…
EDF is running a limited-time heat pump savings package that knocks £1,000 off installations, aimed at moving households entirely off gas. For approved…
A UK startup has unveiled an all-in-one outdoor heat pump designed to make gas-to-heat-pump swaps faster, cheaper and far less disruptive. If it delivers, it…
Viessmann has launched two new-generation R290 monobloc air source heat pumps, the Vitocal 150-A and 151-A, built for straightforward boiler replacement in UK…
Conex Bänninger says demand for its new Press copper M-profile fitting range has been "unprecedented" over the summer, with stockists' shelves emptying as…
Baxi has revived its popular uncapped cashback promotion: installers earn £300 for every three Baxi 600 or 800 boilers registered on Baxi Works between October…
New Screwfix research of 391 tradespeople reveals 91% have fielded energy-saving product enquiries in the past year, with 76% saying customers are more worried…
The NOW Report 2026 finds 93% of tradespeople who run their own business say it causes stress or anxiety, with admin and money — not the work itself — as the…
Wunda's Sam Jump systematically dismantles four persistent myths — including that heat pumps must run 24/7 and that zoning kills efficiency — arguing modern…
As the October price cap pushes gas unit rates up nearly 9%, tado° data shows living rooms (28%) and bedrooms (26%) dominate heating demand — a practical…
Wolseley's new Local division boss Dean Weston lays out the merchant giant's plan to become an installer partner rather than just a supplier — including free…
YouTube engineer Tom Bray runs the numbers under the new October price cap and finds heat pumps 30% cheaper to run than gas boilers for typical households —…
Dwellow's new interactive tool lets homeowners and installers adjust variables like SCOP, electricity tariff and solar/battery inputs to see real-time running…
Veteran heating engineer Andy Gibbs gives a straight-talking take on why AI can never replace the hands-on skill of a heating engineer but warns it could…
The 'Every Merchant Matters' campaign, backed by Band of Builders and the Builders Merchants Federation, aims to turn every UK builders merchant branch into a…
New research reveals 79% of UK construction subcontractors are almost always paid late, 73% are regularly in disputes, and 68% have increased rates to cover…
Baxi has expanded its Megaflo cylinder portfolio with the new Essential range, including budget-friendly direct and indirect models plus the brand's first air…
Worcester Bosch has announced a reorganisation with potential redundancies across its 1,700-strong workforce, blaming falling boiler sales, cost of living…
Baxi is giving installers 6,250 Baxi Works points — equivalent to £187, covering the full Gas Safe registration renewal fee — when they install and register…
The spot price for heating oil has surged 95.3% year-on-year to 102.3p/litre, with the EUA calling on ministers to consider targeted support for off-grid…
British Gas has struck a deal with build-to-rent developer Broadford to supply, install and maintain heat pumps, solar PV and smart tech across its rental…
A HomeServe study finds 40% of new homeowners had a boiler or heating problem after moving in (average repair cost: £2,227), yet only 22% asked about the…
With gas bills rising 8% from 1 October, Cistermiser urges installers to make limescale protection part of every boiler service conversation. Just 1.6mm of…
Plumbing and heating merchant sales volumes dropped 7.8% year-on-year in Q2 2026, masked by an 8.2% price rise according to BMF/PHMI data. With two fewer…
Tool theft isn't just a crime against tradespeople, it's an attack on their livelihoods. Rob Shepherd examines how 32% of tradespeople lack proper insurance…
A Farizon-commissioned survey found 71% of UK tradespeople would consider an electric van as their next work vehicle, with 85% of 18–24-year-olds keen. But…
Ofgem confirmed a 4% October price cap rise to £1,723, and Energy UK's Ned Hammond warns this intensifies the challenge for customers already struggling with…
The £1,723 figure is not a fixed bill, not a ceiling, and not universal — it's a typical-use illustration that varies wildly by household. A handy myth-buster…
UK domestic energy debt has doubled in three years to hit £6bn, with 3 million customers in arrears and the average owed sitting at £1,800. Bad-debt costs…
Daikin's X Series fuses air-to-air and air-to-water technology into one system that handles heating, cooling and hot water in a single unit. It rolls out…
Ofgem has confirmed the energy price cap will rise 4% from 1 October, just as the heating season begins. For installers it's a ready conversation starter —…
The heating workforce is shrinking at the same time decarbonisation work is expanding, leaving a growing gap between demand and skilled engineers. The upshot…
With the October price cap pushing gas unit rates up 8%, Cistermiser's Richard Braid argues installers should make limescale protection part of every boiler…
As of 1 October 2026, IGEM/UP/1B Edition 4 is the only legal standard for gas tightness testing, replacing the decades-old meter-based system with an…
Daikin has been announced as weekly sponsor of the inaugural National Heat Pump Week (12–16 October), running sessions on heat pump introductions, commercial…
Fresh from his Shanghai gold, refrigeration engineer Sam Jones took to the BBC Breakfast sofa to explain WorldSkills and promote careers in the RACHP sector —…
As temperatures drop and a strong El Niño threatens a wet, stormy winter, Arctic Hayes's Lee Parsons lays out the kit installers need now — portable heaters…
Team UK's best WorldSkills result since 2017 — Samuel Jones took gold in Refrigeration & AC, Andrew McCann earned a Medal for Excellence in Plumbing & Heating,…
North Devon College and Vaillant open the only South West heat pump training centre beyond Bristol, with four bays fitted with aroTHERM plus and GeniaAir kit —…
GTEC warns that heat pump installer numbers aren't keeping pace with the government's 450,000-installation target, with MCS-certified installs down 17% in H1…
New Tradify data from 3,271 UK trade businesses shows plumbing & gas firms averaging £255k revenue — up 16% year-on-year — with large teams hitting £1.99m. On…
Warmur Academy's 'Hydronics Unlocked' has become the first fully online route to an MCS-listed low temperature design qualification — with a free guide mapping…
Warwickshire renewables firm KS Connexions shares its real-world journey into air source heat pumps — from heat loss calculations using Heat Punk software to…
Grant UK's latest Net Zero Heating Show features two installers who installed heat pumps in their own homes through the Start with Grant scheme, alongside…
A survey of 350 UK homeowners finds 80% worry about their boiler breaking down, 57% have experienced a breakdown, and 49% say a failure tomorrow would cause a…
The HSE reveals 17 people have been convicted for illegal gas work since the start of 2025 — up from just 3-4 in previous years — and warns homeowners not to…
British Gas research reveals 26% of homeowners can't recognise a gas safety issue — 91% wouldn't flag condensation on windows, 77% miss hob flame changes as…
An exceptionally strong El Niño is forecast to bring milder, wetter and stormier conditions from October — Arctic Hayes warns installers to brace for a surge…
CIPHE and Skills England are developing two new apprenticeship standards — ST1452 (Level 2 Domestic Plumber) and ST1463 (Level 3 Advanced Plumbing and Heating…
Arctic Hayes says installers should use Gas Safety Week (14–20 Sept) to position CO and smoke alarms as essential parts of every boiler install and service…
With 2026 seeing multiple fatal Legionella outbreaks globally, Hydrosense urges UK plumbers and heating engineers to carry on-site rapid test kits that detect…
Daikin has been named weekly sponsor of the inaugural National Heat Pump Week (12–16 October), a joint HPA UK and Nineteen Group campaign reaching over one…
Sponsored by Polypipe, CT1 and Powered Now, the inaugural Plumber Awards opened for entries on 1 September with 11 regional categories. The national winner…
APHC has opened nominations for its seven-category Quality Plumber Week Awards, with prizes from Resideo, BPEC, Altecnic, and others. Nominations run from 24…
Alpha's Darran Smith maps the long-term fate of the UK's 280,000km gas grid. As customers switch to electric-only heating and stop paying gas standing charges,…
Bosch Commercial & Industrial's heat interface unit course is now an LCL Awards Level 3 qualification, covering installation, commissioning, and fault-finding…
Copper tube supplier Lawton Tubes overhauled its website into a mobile-friendly technical hub with pipe sizing calculators, 3D product models, and installation…
Gas Safety Week runs 14–20 September under the 'Take No Chances' banner, a ready-made hook for engineers to promote annual servicing and safety checks to…
CIPHE's latest guest blog weighs the decision every growing tradesperson faces: stay solo or start hiring. It's a clear-eyed look at when scaling a one-man…
LCL Awards has announced its 2026 Trainee of the Year, celebrating the standout newcomer in plumbing and heating. It's a reminder of the pipeline of new talent…
Gas Safety Week runs 14–20 September under this year's 'Take No Chances' theme. It's a ready-made hook for engineers to promote annual servicing and carbon…
From 1 October, eligible non-levy employers hiring apprentices aged 16–24 can claim a £2,000 government incentive — and Smart Energy Training says it has 200…
City Plumbing branches nationwide are running a one-day trade event on Thursday 8 October, offering 5% cashback on all qualifying purchases over £100, plus…
Quality Plumber Week 2026 runs 5–11 October with seven award categories sponsored by Resideo, BPEC, Altecnic, Instantor, Hansgrohe, Premierline and Neomitis —…
Samsung Climate Solutions has launched a new LMS training platform with a modular Bronze→Silver→Gold→Service Agent pathway, designed to progressively build…
From 30 November 2026, Awaab's Law Phase 2 expands beyond damp and mould to cover excess cold, excess heat and other HHSRS hazards — social landlords must…
Energy Consumers Minister Martin McCluskey visits Daikin's Manchester training centre, praising the 300 installers already upskilled there — with all Daikin…
TradeUnited launches as a new collective-bargaining platform for verified tradespeople, with launch offers from Bosch Professional, Ledlenser, KeySafe and…
Hive's Works with Hive programme expands via an Enode partnership, letting hundreds of EV chargers, solar panels and home batteries connect to the Hive app —…
Low autumn sun aligning with rush hour creates dangerous glare conditions for van drivers — dirty windscreens and the wrong sunglasses can invalidate insurance…
Two JTL apprentices take runner-up spots in the 51st ECA Edmundson Apprentice of the Year awards — a positive signal that training quality is holding up in the…
The Industrial and Commercial Heating Equipment Association has updated its water quality guide for commercial DHW systems, covering scale, corrosion and…
Six plumbing and heating engineers — Anthony Burke, Paul Clark, Daniel Cross, Jordan Jack, Lee Davies and Nicholas McPhee — are among 26 semi-finalists…
The Heating Installer Awards and The Plumber Awards have merged under one umbrella as the Installer Awards 2027, with entries now open until 22 December.…
The evohome smart zoning thermostat won the top heating prize, with a 10-property pilot showing SAP uplifts of 1–3 points and measurable fuel cost savings.…
The Tunstall-based firm took the top heating contractor prize at the ASCP26 Safety & Compliance Awards, recognised for quality service delivery across social…
The latest English Housing Survey reveals 38% of English homes have no CO alarm despite 75% relying on gas boilers. Ideal Heating is using the data to push…
Ideal Heating has partnered with Plumb Centre, Fernox and Wera Tools for a nationwide darts-themed roadshow (Sep–Nov) combining virtual darts, a speed boiler…
TrustMark research finds two-thirds of UK homeowners get no contract before work starts, 73% wouldn't know where to go for redress — yet 87% want one trusted…
Britain's data centre boom — averaging 44 planning applications a year, triple the 2000s rate — is concentrated in London, the South East and Wales, precisely…
EDF is bundling free seven-year servicing and warranty (worth £750) with every heat pump purchase, on top of the enhanced BUS grant — EDF heat pumps now start…
Anthony Burke, Paul Clark, Daniel Cross, Jordan Jack, Lee Davies and Nicholas McPhee are among 26 semi-finalists in Screwfix's Top Tradesperson 2026…
Wickes is giving away free SmartWater forensic marking kits across all 229 stores, pledging to mark 260,000 tools in 2026. With 9.4% of tradespeople hit by…
Inta's patent-pending Intafil Combi combines the filling loop, pressure gauge, expansion vessel isolation and drain in one compact monoblock. Saves 15–20…
Grant UK supplied HVO-compatible Vortex oil boilers and a mobile Aerona 290 heat pump rig to Colchester Institute's new Multifuel and Net Zero training…
FRÄNKISCHE has rolled out nationwide point-of-sale displays at NBG and UKPS merchant branches to help counter staff explain multilayer composite pipe benefits…
Daikin's X Series fuses air-to-air and air-to-water into a single outdoor unit handling heating, cooling, and hot water for homes up to 150m². Rolling out…
A unified rewards-and-training portal covering Toshiba, Carrier, and Viessmann brands with tiered Silver/Gold/Platinum levels. Points redeemable for tools,…
Carly Gayle, a Baxi F-Gas engineer and former plumbing business owner, took the top prize. A great story for promoting women in the trades at a time when the…
A feel-good industry note: water-treatment maker Fernox handed £10k to a Surrey hospice.
CP42 certification now covers all gas appliances — cookers, direct-fired heaters and water heaters — not just boilers, tightening commercial inspection scope…
Water-treatment maker Fernox has donated £10,000 to Woking & Sam Beare Hospice, a feel-good industry gesture worth a mention.
Pipe-clip and fixing specialist Talon is marking 40 years in business with a giveaway for installers.
Rehau has won Heat Network Supplier of the Year, a nod to the growing district-heating supply chain.