All guides
Every guide and calculator on Warm Home Numbers, grouped by topic. Each one shows the date its numbers were last checked.
Heat pumps
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Heat pump vs gas boiler: running costs at October 2026 pricesAt today’s price cap a heat pump needs an efficiency of about 3 to beat gas. The full numbers.
How much does a heat pump cost in the UK in 2026?About £13,000 before the grant, around £5,500 after it. What drives the price and how to check a quote.
Do heat pumps work in cold weather? What the UK trial foundThey kept working down to −6°C in the UK’s biggest trial. What a cold snap does to efficiency and bills.
Will a heat pump work in an old house?No home was too old in the UK’s biggest trial. What Victorian and 1930s homes need first.
How to choose a heat pump installer: 12 questions to askThe questions that separate a good design from a guess, plus a table to compare quotes.
Can you get a heat pump if you have a combi boiler?Yes, but you will usually need a hot water cylinder. Sizes, space and the alternatives.Solar panels
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How much do solar panels cost in the UK in 2026?About £7,600 for a typical system, paying back in 9 to 12 years depending on where you live.
Smart Export Guarantee rates 2026: who pays most for your solarExport rates range from 2p to 20p per kWh. Every major tariff and its conditions.
Solar panel grants in 2026: what help actually existsWho can get free panels, the 0% VAT deadline and the ECO4 myth.Energy bills
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Energy price cap explained: what £1,723 means for your billThe October–December 2026 rates, how to work out your own bill, and what January may bring.
Fixed vs variable energy tariff: which is cheaper now?Fixed deals were £100+ below the October cap. How to decide, with the January forecasts.
Why is my energy bill so high? 9 things to checkNine checks, the 12-month back-billing rule and where to get help.Grants
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Boiler Upgrade Scheme 2026: who qualifies and how to claim£7,500 off a heat pump (£9,000 for oil and LPG homes). Who qualifies and how the grant reaches you.
£9,000 heat pump grant for oil and LPG homes: who qualifies£9,000 off a heat pump until March 2027. For many homes it now costs less than a new oil boiler.
0% VAT on heat pumps, solar and insulation ends on 31 March 2027From 1 April 2027 the rate goes from 0% to 5%. What that adds to a typical quote.
Warm Homes Plan explained: what you can get, and when£15bn for up to 5 million homes. What is available now, and what is still being set up.
