Air to air heat pumps, often sold as reversible air conditioning, warm your rooms by blowing heated air from wall-mounted indoor units. They're popular for flats, extensions and homes without radiators. But when it comes to grants, they're treated differently from the air to water systems that replace a boiler.
Is there an air to air heat pump grant?
The main £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant is designed for heat pumps that meet a home's entire heating and hot water demand. Air to air units don't heat water, so historically they haven't qualified for the full grant. The government has announced plans to extend the scheme to air to air heat pumps with a smaller grant, so it's worth asking an installer what's available when you enquire.
Air to air vs air to water
| Air to air | Air to water | |
|---|---|---|
| Heats | Room air | Radiators, underfloor heating and hot water |
| Hot water | No | Yes |
| Cooling | Yes | Some models |
| Typical installed cost | £1,500 to £4,000 per indoor unit | £8,000 to £16,000 whole house |
| £7,500 BUS grant | No (smaller grant planned) | Yes |
When air to air makes sense
- Flats or homes with no wet central heating system.
- Replacing electric panel heaters or storage heaters in a few rooms.
- Extensions, garden offices and conservatories.
- Homes that also want summer cooling.
When air to water is the better choice
If you have radiators and a boiler today, an air to water heat pump is usually the better long-term option. It heats the whole house and your hot water, and the £7,500 grant often makes it cheaper than fitting several air to air units.
Sources
Grant amounts, VAT rules and eligibility are set by government and the scheme administrators. We check them against these primary sources:
- Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (GOV.UK)
- Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) (Ofgem)
- Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS)
New to the jargon? See the heat pump glossary, or browse the heat pump FAQs.
Written by the GetASHP team. Prices and grant details checked 23 October 2026; always confirm current figures with your installer.
