Karen Perry, head of Daikin’s Sustainable Home Centre Network and Distribution Partners, and Gary Woodward, managing director of Heat Pumps London, a Daikin Sustainable Home Centre, have released comments as the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget is approaching.
Karen said: “Daikin urges the UK government to prioritise financial support for workforce development to address the green energy skills gap. Significant investment is needed in training programmes for new and existing HVAC installers, enabling them to transition to heat pump technologies and meet growing demand. Support for apprenticeships and reskilling programs is essential to expedite the rollout of heat pumps, ensuring businesses can scale operations while maintaining high standards. Additionally, we call for enhanced incentives, grants, and infrastructure investment to accelerate the adoption of heat pumps, benefiting both homeowners and businesses in the transition to low-carbon heating solutions.”
Gary Woodward, managing director of Heat Pumps London, a Daikin Sustainable Home Centre, stated: “Many homeowners have the wish to move over to heat pumps, but the willingness is there only in theory, as they have to incur costs in preparing their homes. What we need is a system where the government has a better threshold for grants for these activities, which will encourage people to take the first step in moving towards cleaner and more efficient heating options. If we bear the costs for preparing the homes to install heat pumps, almost all the rest is very simple and cost-effective.
“We need a different and far lower tariff for electricity, as this would be a major contribution to getting heat pumps and their advantages quickly noticed. A higher rate of tax on gas and a lower rate on electric would encourage people to use more electricity rather than gas. The measures above will give confidence for both industry and consumers to invest in this technology for the long term. Why not zero VAT on heat pumps and installations for the next 10 years? It would fast-track the transition to greener homes and drastically cut gas dependence.
“As a Daikin Sustainable Home Centre, we’re committed to educating the next generation of installers, but we need more financial incentives from the government to ensure that plumbers and other tradespeople can easily retrain for the heat pump market. The heat pump sector is poised for explosive growth, but this won’t happen unless there are enough skilled workers to support it. The government should offer tax breaks or direct grants to companies that invest in retraining their staff in heat pump installation and maintenance. This would rapidly increase the availability of skilled installers and ensure that the heat pump industry can meet its growing demand.
“The vast majority of the criticisms we see — that they don’t work in cold weather, that they’re too expensive to run — are all old, or completely false. Of the “not working in cold climates” fallacy, the three countries that are currently winning the European heat pump race are Norway, Finland and Sweden which are obviously much colder climates than the UK. Policymakers in Britain should consider embarking on information campaigns to the public, countering prevalent misconceptions of heat pumps, and highlighting their long-term cost savings and environmental effects in general. Heat pumps have come a long way in terms of efficiency and affordability.
“Heat pumps are not a style to go with; heat pumps are the present and future heating systems for this country. But if we are to speed this process, we have to empower people with the means and the assurance to make the switch. We have to provide more funds and clear information while fighting those who spread false information. The government is very central in enhancing the industry while ensuring that the public is not misled.”