A NEW survey has revealed that just one in five oil-heated homes are currently ready for a heat pump. 

It comes amid increasing concerns over the government’s plans for the 21,000 homes that rely on heating oil in East Sussex.

The survey of 229 heating technicians was carried out by the Oil Firing Technical Association (Oftec) in response to the government’s proposals to end the installation of new fossil-fuel oil boilers in homes from 2026. 

Instead, a heat pump first approach will be adopted for households which are not on the gas grid, with more than 80 per cent expected to eventually install this technology.

Poor insulation was cited as the biggest barrier for heat pump installation in rural homes, followed by the age and condition of the property and radiators that need replacing.

The Argus:

Malcolm Farrow, head of public affairs at Oftec, said: “The government is focused on a heat pump solution for oil homes but heating technicians working in these properties across East Sussex every day are very clear about the real-world challenges of this approach.

 “While heat pumps are a sensible choice for some homes, it makes little sense to install them in buildings with poor energy efficiency. 

“Technicians know the vast majority of their customers are simply not ready to transition without expensive and disruptive energy efficiency improvements. 

“Combined with an average price of £11,000 for the heat pump itself, rural homeowners in East Sussex are at risk of facing the highest costs and the worst outcomes in the government’s proposals.”

More than half of the technicians surveyed also said the most common reason for a boiler installation was a distress purchase after a breakdown. 

Of those, 57 per cent highlighted that their customers wanted the least disruption and the lowest installation cost which is difficult to achieve with the complex transition to a new technology such as a heat pump.

When asked about an alternative solution, 72 per cent of technicians said they would prefer the government focused on renewable liquid fuels, such as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), for off-grid homes. 

More than 100 oil heated homes have already converted to the sustainably sourced fuel and cut emissions by 88 per cent as part of a demonstration.