What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
Not necessarily. A well-run heat network can provide heat at a cost close to, or below, a gas alternative, while a poorly designed or privately operated network can be expensive. An individual heat pump may reduce running costs in a well-insulated home on a suitable electricity tariff, but its installation usually costs far more than replacing a gas boiler. The only reliable answer for a particular property is a whole-life comparison that includes installation or connection charges, standing charges, maintenance, energy use, grants, financing and future component replacement.
What you are actually comparing
The three options deliver heat in different ways, so comparing only the advertised pence-per-kilowatt-hour figure can produce the wrong result.
- Heat network: A central energy centre produces hot water (or, in some systems, steam) and distributes it through insulated pipes to buildings. Your bill may contain a heat unit rate, a standing charge, metering or billing fee, and a connection or infrastructure charge.
- Individual heat pump: An air-source or ground-source unit moves heat from outside into your home. Electricity powers the compressor. The amount of useful heat per kilowatt-hour of electricity depends on the system’s seasonal performance, flow temperature, controls and the building’s insulation and emitters.
- Gas boiler: A boiler burns gas in the property. A replacement is often a like-for-like project, but the bill also reflects the gas tariff, standing charge, boiler efficiency and servicing.
For a fair comparison, calculate the cost of delivered heat over the same period. Include the capital needed to make the system work, not just the fuel.
Recommended Free Tools
What the available UK evidence shows
There is no single UK-wide price ranking for 2026. The figures available were produced under different dates and assumptions, and none is a common, current, whole-life comparison of one representative heat network, heat pump and gas boiler.
Popular on Amazon
- Powerful Turbo Fan:CAGIWIRU Electric Air Duster have reached speed up to 130000RPM,Can efficient remove dust and debris.With LED light and Three Adjustable Speed to meet with different cleaning tasks.
- With Attached USB C Fasting Charging cable.Charing 3 hours,Enjoy up to 240 minutes of use on the lowest setting, For third speed can use for 25mins.with four charging options to meet with your needs.
- Wide Application: attached 5 different nozzles,making it suitable for a variety of scenes, such as car,pet, pc, keyboards, and other electronic devices. It also serves for office and home clean duster.
- Handy Design & Portable:Cordless air duster electric nozzle is Light weight and small size, design and comfortable to hold and space saving, convenient to carry around. You can put it in your room or inside the car without taking up space.
- Economical &Reusable: Built durable materials with a long-lasting battery,our CAGIWIRU air duster it's a sustainable alternative to disposable air cans.
Heat networks can be competitive, but performance varies
In its 2018 heat-networks market study, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) concluded that, for many customers, networks appeared to offer heat and hot water at prices “close to or lower than those of other potential sources of supply (such as gas or electricity)” with comparable service standards. That is an industry-level finding, not a guarantee for every development.
The CMA cited Association for Decentralised Energy figures showing at least 14,000 UK heat networks, about 492,000 connections and approximately 446,517 domestic customers in 2018. Networks differ greatly in age, heat source, pipe losses, ownership and billing arrangements. A modern, efficient system serving many homes can spread plant costs; a small system with high losses and a monopoly operator can impose high fixed charges.
The Climate Change Committee, as cited by the CMA in 2018, estimated that around 18% of UK heat would need to come from heat networks by 2050 for carbon targets to be met cost-effectively. That policy role does not establish what an individual customer will pay today.
Also popular on Amazon
- Screen Cleaner is Your Screen’s New Bestfriend! - EVEO is proud to present a screen cleaner that’s perfectly suited for your TV. Meet your new screen cleaner, computer screen cleaner, laptop cleaner, iPad cleaner, Macbook,tv cleaner or any other electronic device. Our screen cleaner spray and wipe along with the included plush microfiber cloth, easily removes dust, fingerprints & other smudges on the screen’s surface. Clean effectively for a streak-free screen
- Gentle on your Screens - Our screen cleaner spray and wipes is compatible to be used even for the most sensitive LCD, LED, CRT, and OLED screens in proper use. Be at ease knowing that this product is compatible with all the major brands: LG, SONY, Samsung, Sharp, iPad, iPhone, Android screens, Kindle, PC monitors - we’ve got you covered! Can be used as LCD screen cleaner, tv cleaner, smart tv screen cleaner, and more
- Premium Super Soft Plush Microfiber Cloth - Included in this efficient screen cleaning kit. This screen cleaner spray and wipe has our signature plush microfiber cloth specially designed to comply with screens and monitors and leave them streak-free. Has been shown to effectively absorbs stubborn stains, zero streaks, and no fiber shedding. Always use this together with our screen cleaner for the best results
- Easy-to-Use Screen Cleaner Kit + microfiber cleaning cloth - The EVEO Screen Cleaning Kit will easily be your new favorite tool when it comes to taking care of the things you love most, quick and easy solution for a streak-free screen. Simply screw on the sprayer gun on the screen cleaner bottle. Spray the cleaning liquid onto the microfiber cloth, then wipe the screen until desired cleanliness & shine is achieved.
- Quality Screen Care Kit Worth Purchasing - Enjoy a convenient Screen Cleaner anytime, anywhere you need it. Your satisfaction is our top priority. We stand behind the quality of our products and that’s why, you shouldn’t be worrying at all. We manufacture the Best Screen Cleaner. and can be used for laptop cleaning kit, laptop screen cleaner, tv screen cleaner for smart tv. MacBook screen cleaner, monitor cleaner or screen cleaner spray for electronic devices with microfiber cleaning cloth
Heat pumps have high capital cost and variable running cost
The National Audit Office reported an average heat-pump installation cost of £11,287 in 2023, expressed in 2021 prices. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant rose to £7,500 in October 2023 and, using those 2023 costs, covered nearly 60% of the average installation. The grant is a one-time contribution, not an annual bill subsidy; eligibility and current availability must be checked before relying on it.
The House of Commons Committee of Public Accounts wrote in its 2024 report summary that an average heat pump was then four times more expensive than a gas boiler and that electricity prices meant heat pumps could be more expensive to run. That statement describes the market conditions considered in the report, not a universal lifetime outcome. Installation quotes, electricity tariffs and system efficiency have a major effect.
Gas is a useful comparator, not a guaranteed cheapest option
A gas boiler generally has the lowest initial cost when replacing an existing boiler because the distribution pipework, radiators and hot-water arrangement may already be suitable. Its future cost is exposed to gas prices, standing charges, boiler servicing and eventual replacement. A gas comparison should use the boiler’s delivered efficiency and the home’s actual heat demand rather than assuming every unit of gas becomes useful room heat.
Also popular on Amazon
- 【Large size】：Measuring 800 x 300 mm/ 31. 5×12 inches, which is wider and taller than others. Large mouse pad can perfectly fit your keyboard and mouse of any size, and there is also ample space for peripherals such as phones, tablets, etc.
- 【LED backlight mouse pad】：Blade Hawks RGB mouse pad provides 7 static modes and 7 dynamic modes will give you the options you are looking for. Power-off memory function remembers the last lighting mode you selected. The super glow fiber Chroma will give you a colorful gaming setup that you want.
- 【Anti-slip rubber base】：Made from Natural rubber, this gaming mousepad will firmly grip your desktop, allowing you to enjoy the ultimate precision in the games you are most passionate about. It also comes with a texture that enhances this ability even further.
- 【Smooth and waterproof surface】: Micro-textured cloth surface, for extremely precise mouse control and a smooth movement. When liquid splashes on the gaming mouse pad, it forms water droplets and slides down. Will not delay your work or gameplay.
- 【Plug and play】: This mouse and keyboard pad is powered by USB, plug and play, no driver required. One button control light modes. Press one time to change the lighting mode, press twice to change the brightness, press and hold about 3 seconds turn ON/OFF.
Running-cost figures and why they disagree
Two official examples illustrate the range rather than settle the question.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
| Period and basis | Heat network | Gas | What the figure means |
|---|---|---|---|
| April–June 2023; 7,000 kWh heat comparison | £861 | £861 | DESNZ written-answer estimate, annualised fuel cost only |
| October 2022–March 2023; 7,000 kWh heat comparison | £1,037 | £861 | DESNZ estimate, annualised fuel cost only |
| March–September 2022; 7,000 kWh heat comparison | £968 | £585 | DESNZ estimate, annualised fuel cost only |
These are support-period estimates from a 2023 written answer, not current tariffs and not complete household bills. They exclude the property-specific capital, maintenance, standing-charge and replacement differences that can change the ranking.
For a different illustration, a DESNZ Clean Energy Campaign model for a well-insulated three-bedroom detached house estimated about £2,000 per year for gas and £1,900 for a heat pump. The modelling used prices and tariff assumptions from July 2023 to July 2024. The £100 difference is a modelled result for that house, not a promised saving. DESNZ says actual savings depend on the energy tariff, when and how much you heat, the home’s size and insulation, and the type of heat pump.
Also popular on Amazon
- 【Softer and More Comfortable】Vaydeer wrist rest has unique diamond pattern, which is the combination of softness and aesthetics. The materials of wrist rest are improved into higher quality memory foam and covered with silky smooth lycra. The computer wrist rest makes you as comfortable and cushiony as like rest your wrists on clouds.
- 【Ergonomic Wrist Saver】The wrist rests for keyboard and mouse comes with a 17.32×3.15×0.83 inch keyboard wrist pad and a 5.94×3.15×0.83 inch mouse wrist support. Based on ergonomic design, the unique concave shape is the perfect fit for your wrist joints. The wrist rest pad fits most computer keyboards and laptops, improve hand and wrist posture, release your wrist and arm stress.
- 【Non-Slip Rubber Bottom】Featuring an anti-skid silicone base on the bottom, this wrist keyboard support stays firmly in place on your desk, preventing the padding from sliding around, ensuring stable and consistent wrist support during extended computer sessions.
- 【Better Experience & Pain Relief】Our keyboard arm rest is beneficial to alleviate the soreness caused by direct contact and friction between your arm and a hard desk surface, reducing the risk of wrist fatigue or carpal tunnel. The soft texture of memory foam can evenly distribute the pressure around your wrists and provide good support with just enough give.
- 【Helpful in Multiple Scenarios】Whether you're working, studying, writing, typing, gaming, this keyboard and mouse rest combo is an essential accessory to add comfort and support to your hands and wrists. It’s also a great gift for men, women, family, friend, coworker, gamer, teacher, etc.
How to calculate the cost for your property
Use one horizon—10, 15 or 20 years—and put every material cost in the same spreadsheet. A shorter horizon can make a high-capital option look unattractive even if its operating cost is lower; a longer horizon increases exposure to repairs, replacements and tariff changes.
- Establish heat demand. Use recent gas or heat-network consumption, corrected for unusual weather where possible. Separate space heating from hot water if your bills or meter data allow it. Do not substitute the home’s floor area for actual demand without checking the result.
- Price the installed system. For a heat pump, obtain a detailed quote covering the outdoor unit, cylinder, controls, electrical work, planning or ground works where relevant, and any radiator or underfloor-heating changes. For a boiler, include flue, condensate, controls and removal. For a network, ask for the connection fee, heat interface unit, meter, building works and any amount collected through a service charge.
- Apply grants and financing. Subtract an eligible Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant from the heat-pump capital cost only after confirming the installer, property and technology meet current rules. Record interest, loan fees or staged payments rather than treating borrowed money as free capital.
- Convert energy to useful heat. A heat-pump estimate should divide required heat by its seasonal coefficient of performance (the average useful heat delivered per unit of electricity) and then apply the actual electricity tariff. A boiler estimate should account for seasonal efficiency before applying the gas tariff. A network estimate should start with the billed heat unit rate and add standing, metering and other fixed charges; ask whether the quoted heat already includes network losses.
- Add fixed and service costs. Include electricity or gas standing charges attributable to the heating option, heat-network standing or infrastructure charges, annual servicing, insurance, water-treatment requirements, meter fees and repair allowances.
- Model replacements. Put likely replacement dates and costs for a boiler, heat-pump compressor or controls, hot-water cylinder, pumps and network interface equipment into the horizon. Use a range when a supplier cannot provide a firm life estimate.
- Test scenarios. Run at least low, central and high energy-price cases, and test a colder winter, a higher heat-pump flow temperature and a network tariff increase. Smart or time-of-use electricity tariffs can improve a heat pump’s result only if the home can shift some consumption without reducing comfort.
- Compare the total and the risk. Show total undiscounted cost and, if you are comfortable doing so, a discounted present value. Record which assumptions are contractual and which are estimates. The cheapest central estimate may not be the best choice if a large part of its cost is controlled by an opaque monopoly tariff.
When each option is most likely to make financial sense
An existing gas-heated home with a working boiler
Replacing a functioning boiler with a heat pump can take a long time to recover the additional capital, even after a grant. The case becomes stronger when the boiler is near the end of its life, the home is well insulated, emitters can deliver heat at a lower flow temperature, and a suitable electricity tariff is available. Calculate the avoided boiler replacement as part of the comparison; otherwise the heat pump is unfairly charged with its full capital while the alternative is treated as free.
A new development or dense apartment block
A network can centralise plant, maintenance and heat-source upgrades and avoid a separate boiler or heat pump in every dwelling. The commercial result depends on how connection costs are allocated, the efficiency of the distribution system and the operator’s fixed charges. Before buying or renting, request the charging schedule, historic bills for a similar dwelling and the arrangements for outages and repairs.
Also popular on Amazon
- 【No Drill Mounted】Cable management tray can be assembled in as little as 3 minutes or less-simply. Side clips easily clampe the edge of desk, pass through the holes on the sides, and secure excess cables with baskets. Desk cable management supports inward or outward installation to meet your needs in different scenarios, and provides you with great convenience when collecting and organizing wires.
- 【Rubber Pad Protects Desk】Wire organizer under desk built-in soft rubber pads on the clamp protect your desk from scratches, so you will not damage your furniture or office.
- 【Sturdy and Beautiful】Cord management under desk is made of high-quality carbon steel and holds about 15 lbs. The wire basket has 2 holes on each side of the tray to enable your cables to pass freely. Cable baskets are suitable for desk thickness use from 0.4" to 2.4".
- 【Space Saving & Keep Organized】Desk cable management tray holds all your power cords, outlet strips, USB hubs and computer transformers hidden from your feet, and the data cables will not enter the vacuum cleaner to keep your desk clean and tidy. Desk wire organizer is also suitable for use in the kitchen and outdoors.
- 【Reduce Safety Risks】Cable tray under desk keeps all plugs away from your kids, no more worry about tripping. Using 2 holes wire tray saves extra space, helps you easily cabling and wire protection. The mesh design is not easy to accumulate dust, but avoids safety accidents caused by messy wires.
A well-insulated home with a flexible electricity tariff
This is the clearest route to lower heat-pump running costs. Insulation reduces the heat required; larger radiators or underfloor emitters can allow a lower flow temperature; and a tariff with cheaper periods can reduce electricity cost. The system still needs correct sizing, commissioning and controls. A high electricity unit rate or poor seasonal performance can erase the advantage.
A privately operated or opaque heat network
Do not infer affordability from a low headline heat rate. Ask for at least 12 months of bills for a comparable home and request a complete schedule showing the heat rate, standing charge, metering, maintenance, connection or infrastructure payment, VAT treatment and how prices are changed. Ask how often outages occurred, how long repairs took and whether residents can challenge bills. A network with no supplier choice deserves a larger risk allowance in your model.
Technical factors that change the result
- Insulation and ventilation: Drafts, uninsulated roofs or walls and uncontrolled ventilation increase heat demand for every option, but they are particularly damaging to a heat pump’s economics because more electricity is needed for the same comfort.
- Emitter temperature: Heat pumps are most efficient when radiators or underfloor systems can heat rooms at lower water temperatures. Small radiators designed for a high-temperature boiler may require upgrades.
- Hot water: Cylinder size, legionella cycles and simultaneous bathing demand affect heat-pump electricity use and may require an immersion heater. Network and boiler systems may provide hot water differently, so compare the actual service rather than assuming identical convenience.
- Network losses: Buried distribution pipes and plant consume energy before it reaches the dwelling. Poor insulation, oversized plant or low utilisation can raise both the operator’s cost and the customer’s tariff.
- Controls and commissioning: Weather compensation, correct hydraulic balancing, meter configuration and user settings influence delivered heat. A theoretical coefficient of performance is not a guarantee of the installed system’s seasonal result.
- Space and electrical capacity: A heat pump may need an outdoor location, a hot-water cylinder and electrical upgrades. Apartment networks may avoid that work inside each dwelling but impose building-level equipment and access requirements.
Consumer protection and contract checks
Historically, heat-network customers often had weaker protections than gas and electricity customers and could not switch supplier. Check the protections that apply to your network now, including the current Ofgem framework, before signing a lease, purchase contract or connection agreement.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems- Confirm who owns the pipes, heat interface unit and meter, and who pays when each fails.
- Read the tariff formula: identify indexation, review dates, caps, pass-through fuel costs and any minimum charge.
- Check billing frequency, estimated-meter rules, dispute procedures and access to consumption data.
- Get the promised indoor temperature, hot-water availability and outage compensation in writing where possible.
- Ask whether you can disconnect, install another system or transfer the obligation when you sell or let the property.
A decision checklist
A comparison is ready for a buying decision only when you can answer these questions with documents rather than assumptions:
- What is the home’s measured annual heat demand and hot-water demand?
- What is the total installed or connection price after confirmed grants?
- What standing, service, maintenance and infrastructure charges apply each year?
- Which tariff and seasonal-performance assumptions produce the annual energy figure?
- What equipment must be replaced during the chosen ownership period?
- Who controls prices, repairs and access to the system, and what happens during an outage?
- How does the result change under higher energy prices, lower heat-pump performance or a network tariff increase?
If a quote does not provide these inputs, treat the missing amount as an uncertainty to resolve, not as zero. A property-specific spreadsheet using the same horizon and assumptions for all three options is more informative than a generic claim that one technology is always cheapest.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
