How much does it cost to run a air source heat pump? (2026 price cap)
At the GB-average Ofgem price cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026, a air source heat pump rated at 1.7kW costs 45p an hour to run and around £1,307 a year assuming 8 hours a day running through winter.
Per hour
45p
Per typical use
£3.58
Per day
£3.58
Per week
£25.13
Per year
£1,307
Typical rating and how we worked this out
This page uses a typical rating of 1.7kW for a air source heat pump; published figures for this appliance range from 1kW to 3kW. An air source heat pump moves heat rather than generating it directly, so for roughly every 1kWh of electricity it consumes it delivers around 3kWh of heat into the home. This page shows the electricity input, not the heat delivered — why it looks similar in running cost to a much smaller electric heater despite heating a whole house. The running cost follows the same formula used across this site: watts ÷ 1,000 × hours × unit rate. Typical use is modelled as 8 hours a day running through winter, which is how the per-day, per-week and per-year figures above were calculated — see the cost-to-run calculator to change the wattage, hours or region yourself.
Rate used: Ofgem price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026, GB average electricity — 26.32p/kWh (excl. VAT, removed 1 Oct 2026–31 Mar 2027).
Cost by region
Same appliance, same use — ranked most to least expensive by region under the price cap:
| Region | Elec p/kWh | Cost per hour | Typical annual cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merseyside and Northern Wales | 27.86 | 47p | £1,383 |
| South Eastern England | 26.88 | 46p | £1,334 |
| Eastern England | 26.61 | 45p | £1,321 |
| London | 26.60 | 45p | £1,320 |
| South Western England | 26.58 | 45p | £1,319 |
| Southern Wales | 26.55 | 45p | £1,318 |
| North Western England | 26.49 | 45p | £1,315 |
| Southern England | 26.47 | 45p | £1,314 |
| Northern Scotland | 26.35 | 45p | £1,308 |
| Southern Scotland | 26.11 | 44p | £1,296 |
| West Midlands | 25.60 | 44p | £1,271 |
| Yorkshire | 25.60 | 44p | £1,271 |
| North Eastern England | 25.46 | 43p | £1,264 |
| East Midlands | 25.36 | 43p | £1,259 |
| Great Britain average | 26.32 | 45p | £1,307 |
East Midlands is cheapest at £1,259 a year; Merseyside and Northern Wales is most expensive at £1,383 a year — a gap of £124 for identical use.
How a air source heat pump compares with similar appliances
Ranked by typical annual cost in heating & cooling, GB average:
- air source heat pump — £1,307 a year (this page)
- electric combi boiler — £1,297 a year
- night storage heater — £1,345 a year
- hot tub — £769 a year
- portable air conditioner — £692 a year
- oil-filled radiator — £576 a year
Three practical ways to cut the cost
- Run continuously at a lower flow temperature rather than switching on and off like a gas boiler
- Keep radiators or underfloor loops unblocked by furniture and curtains
- Have the system commissioned and flow temperature set correctly — an incorrectly set heat pump can lose much of its efficiency advantage
FAQs
- How much does it cost to run a air source heat pump for an hour?
- 45p at the GB-average rate (26.32p/kWh, 1.7kW). One typical use — 8 hours a day running through winter — costs closer to £3.58.
- How much does a air source heat pump cost to run per year?
- Around £1,307 a year at the GB-average rate, assuming 8 hours a day running through winter — about £25.13 a week.
- Which UK region is cheapest to run a air source heat pump in?
- East Midlands, at £1,259 a year, against £1,383 in Merseyside and Northern Wales — £124 apart for identical use, purely from the regional rate.
- Does the exact wattage of my air source heat pump change the cost much?
- Yes — ratings range 1kW–3kW, so the top of that range costs about 3.0x the bottom. This page uses 1.7kW; check your own rating plate.
- Does the October 2026 price cap affect this figure?
- Yes — figures use the Ofgem cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026. Electricity excludes VAT (removed 1 Oct 2026–31 Mar 2027); gas includes 5%. See the price cap page for the full breakdown.
Sources
- NIBE — how much electricity does a heat pump use — wattage and usage figures for this appliance.
- Ofgem — Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges (regional tables, read 12 September 2026).
Related
- Cost-to-run calculator and full A–Z — check any appliance or enter a custom wattage.
- Energy price cap, 1 October to 31 December 2026 — every region, every payment method.
- Back-billing calculator — if a bill for this or any appliance looks like it covers too many months.
- Free bill audit — if your overall energy costs look high regardless of any one appliance.
Send us one bill. We'll send back every overcharge — and the cheapest legitimate replacement.
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