The Government is yet to release the full ‘Heat and Buildings Strategy’ but from the details they have published, it is clear they are thinking ahead on this vital topic.

Richard Beresford, chief executive of the National Federation of Builders (NFB), said: “Heat pumps are a technology which can be delivered at scale. The Government is therefore correct to indicate a work pipeline for this cottage industry, otherwise there won’t be enough engineers getting trained and the cost of installations will not go down.

“With the Government banning gas in new builds from 2025, we cannot be in a situation where homes cannot be built because the heating elements cannot be completed, or consumers who want heat pumps are competing with housebuilders for skilled installers.”

As part of the Heat and Buildings Strategy, the government has put together a £450m, three-year Boiler Upgrade Scheme which from April 2022, will give homeowners new grants of £5,000 to install more efficient, low carbon heating systems. The Government has also indicated that by 2026, it will decide on the potential role for hydrogen in heating buildings by learning from their ‘Hydrogen Village pilot’ in Winlaton, near Newcastle.