Baxi’s 2024 Installer Skills Survey has revealed that heating engineers’ attitudes towards low carbon heating are slowing the adoption of heat pumps in the UK.
The survey, conducted in collaboration with green supply chain consultancy Gemserv, explores heating engineers’ interest and confidence in helping households transition to clean heat technologies.
Installers play an influential role in the decision to move away from natural gas boilers towards low carbon alternatives, such as heat pumps, as consumers often rely on a heating engineer’s expertise when deciding on heating options. This survey is an important indicator of the readiness of heating engineers to adopt and promote heat pumps in the context of evolving government policies and consumer demands. The survey was conducted in August 2024 and over 300 installers took part.
Although this year’s survey reveals more positive sentiment towards heat pumps compared to the first edition in 2022, what is evident from the survey is that many installers still lack the training, knowledge and incentive to help homeowners begin their transition away from gas boilers.
Just 9% of installers say they are fitting heat pumps, which is up from 3% in 2022 and 7% in 2023. Sentiment towards heat pump installation in the future looks weak, with half of installers saying they are ‘somewhat’ or ‘extremely unlikely’ to start fitting heat pumps in the next three years. There is more enthusiasm for hybrid systems – where a heat pump is combined with a gas boiler – with 30% of installers showing interest.
The survey found that government schemes, such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), are met with frustration, as they seem too complex and there is too much paperwork involved, along with the lack of consumer awareness.
This year’s survey results show a slight improvement in the confidence installers have to promote and install low carbon heating technologies, with 11% of installers saying they are ‘extremely confident’ in discussing low carbon technologies (up from 7% in 2023) and 35% ‘moderately confident’. This indicates that while training opportunities and industry communication are having a positive effect, many installers still lack the expertise to fully promote and install low carbon heating technologies.
Practical training is key to building confidence, with 34% of respondents indicating a preference for hands-on learning. The perceived high cost of training, along with the complexities of MCS accreditation, are an ongoing obstacle to learning.
The lack of consumer demand for heat pumps further contributes to installers’ low engagement. Without strong consumer interest, installers continue to feel hesitant about making the transition to low carbon heating, including investing in training. In the 2024 survey, only 3% of installers say customers always ask about low carbon heating.
All three surveys have shown a generational divide among installers, with those nearing retirement less inclined to invest in training. As more new installers enter the industry, it’s expected that more will be willing to embrace new technologies, but this will require further intervention from both government and industry to create a more supportive environment.
Ian Trott, Baxi’s Head of UK Training says, “While the 2024 survey shows some positive developments, particularly regarding hybrid systems, many of the challenges highlighted by previous surveys, such as insufficient training, poor government support, low consumer demand, haven’t moved on. The transition to low carbon heating will require more targeted interventions to support installers in overcoming these barriers.”
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