The ban on gas boilers and their replacement with heat pumps will ultimately not happen, the British government is changing its plans
The ban on gas boilers from 2035 and the related major transition to heat pumps will ultimately not occur in the United Kingdom. The local government has decided to cancel the plans of the previous government and to allow the installation of gas boilers in households beyond the previously planned deadline.
The British government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, canceled the plans of its predecessors to ban the installation of gas boilers in new homes built after 2035. The plan, proposed by Rishi Sunak's government, aimed for a transition to alternative heating methods with no emissions, led by heat pumps.
Households in the United Kingdom currently largely rely on heating and water heating through gas boilers. However, like in other countries, this creates greenhouse gas emissions, which the UK government is also trying to reduce.
Even Prime Minister Sunak previously stepped back from harsher energy transition plans. Instead of a complete ban, his government imposed only a partial ban directed toward gradually shutting down 80% of all gas boilers.
The current cancellation of the plan to phase out gas boilers will also significantly impact the development of heat pumps in the country. The country has long considered these an essential part of the transition to emission-free energy sources. The British government had already set a plan to install 600,000 heat pumps annually by 2028. Shortly after its announcement, experts pointed out that fulfilling it is almost unrealistic. The current plan change to limit gas boilers will be another blow to the transition to more expensive heat pumps.
