Air Source Heat Pump Cost in Northern Ireland (2026)
Typically £8,000 to £14,000 installed in Northern Ireland. There is no grant here, so that is what you pay; 0% VAT applies until 31 March 2027.
The typical range comes from PumpSwap’s indicative 2026 price model for towns in Northern Ireland, not from measured quotes. Your installer’s survey sets your price.
Heat pump prices in towns across Northern Ireland
Indicative installed prices for the largest towns in Northern Ireland. Each town page has local detail, including whether the area is on the gas grid.
| Town | Installed |
|---|---|
| Belfast | £8,050 to £14,050 |
| Londonderry County Borough | £8,000 to £14,000 |
| Derry | £8,000 to £14,000 |
| Lisburn | £8,050 to £14,050 |
| Newtownabbey | £8,150 to £14,150 |
| Bangor | £8,000 to £14,000 |
| Craigavon | £8,350 to £14,350 |
| Castlereagh | £7,900 to £13,900 |
| Portadown | £8,350 to £14,350 |
| Newtownards | £8,150 to £14,150 |
| Carrickfergus | £7,900 to £13,900 |
| Ballymena | £8,400 to £14,400 |
| Newry | £8,350 to £14,350 |
| Coleraine | £8,150 to £14,150 |
| Omagh | £8,450 to £14,450 |
| Antrim | £8,050 to £14,050 |
| Larne | £8,300 to £14,300 |
| Banbridge | £8,250 to £14,250 |
| Armagh | £8,250 to £14,250 |
| Enniskillen | £8,250 to £14,250 |
| Strabane | £8,000 to £14,000 |
| Dundonald | £7,850 to £13,850 |
| Holywood | £7,950 to £13,950 |
| Dungannon | £8,400 to £14,400 |
Grants and support in Northern Ireland
There is no heat pump grant for homeowners in Northern Ireland; the Boiler Upgrade Scheme does not apply here. 0% VAT on the installation still does, until 31 March 2027.
- Energy efficiency help for low-income households (gross income under £23,000 on the last published terms). Heat pumps are not listed; check current terms with the Housing Executive.
- £63 off electricity bills, paid automatically from 6 October 2026. Not a heat pump grant.
- £100 voucher for oil-heated homes on qualifying benefits or income under £30,000. Applications 9 September 2026 to 31 March 2027. Not a heat pump grant.
What a heat pump costs to run in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is outside the Ofgem price cap. On Power NI’s standard tariff of 34.15p per kWh (including 5% VAT, since 1 July 2026), a heat pump with a seasonal efficiency of 3.8 to 4.5 delivers heat for about 7.6p to 9.0p per kWh: roughly £760 to £900 a year for 10,000 kWh of heat.
For comparison, regulated gas from 1 October 2026 costs 8.83p per kWh with firmus energy (Ten Towns area) and 12.17p for the first 2,000 kWh then 8.34p with SSE Airtricity (Greater Belfast and West), including VAT and before boiler losses. Most Northern Ireland homes heat with oil, whose price moves week to week, so compare the heat pump figure with your own oil cost per kWh of heat.
Estimates, not quotes. Unit rates only; Power NI lists no standing charge on its standard single-rate tariff.
How homes in Northern Ireland are heated today
Share of households by their only type of central heating (Census 2021, Northern Ireland).
Oil is the main heating fuel in Northern Ireland: 49.5% of households heat with oil alone, against 31.58% on mains gas alone. The government’s off-gas-grid estimates cover Great Britain only.
The climate in Northern Ireland
January averages 7.2°C by day and 1.7°C at night, with 41 days of air frost a year (Met Office 1991-2020 averages for Northern Ireland). Across the UK the figures are 1.2°C and 53 days. Air source heat pumps keep heating well below freezing; a colder climate changes the size your installer specifies through the heat loss calculation, not whether a heat pump works.
Planning rules in Northern Ireland
- One air source heat pump within the grounds of a house is permitted development in Northern Ireland.
- It must be at least 1 metre from the boundary with another house.
- Not on a roof, no more than 3 metres high, and not in front of a wall facing a road.
- In conservation areas and World Heritage Sites, it must not face onto, and be visible from, a road.
- Listed buildings: only where listed building consent has already been granted.
- The installation must meet the MCS planning standard (MCS 020).
Source: legislation.gov.uk: Planning (General Permitted Development) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015, Part 2, Class G. If your home is listed or in a conservation area, check with your council before installing.
Frequently asked questions
How much does an air source heat pump cost in Northern Ireland?
Typically £8,000 to £14,000 installed in Northern Ireland, in PumpSwap's indicative 2026 price model, with 0% VAT applied. There is no grant to take off. Your own price depends on the size your home needs, whether you need a hot water cylinder or bigger radiators, and the brand.
What heat pump grants are there in Northern Ireland?
There is no heat pump grant for homeowners in Northern Ireland; the Boiler Upgrade Scheme does not apply here. 0% VAT on the installation still does, until 31 March 2027.
How much does a heat pump cost to run in Northern Ireland?
Northern Ireland is outside the Ofgem price cap. On Power NI's standard tariff (34.15p per kWh including VAT), a heat pump with a seasonal efficiency of 3.8 to 4.5 delivers heat for about 7.6p to 9.0p per kWh, or roughly £760 to £900 a year for 10,000 kWh of heat. Compare that with what you pay for oil or gas per kWh of heat today.
Do I need planning permission for a heat pump in Northern Ireland?
Usually not. One air source heat pump within the grounds of a house is permitted development in Northern Ireland. It must be at least 1 metre from the boundary with another house.
Is Northern Ireland too cold for an air source heat pump?
No. January averages 7.2°C by day and 1.7°C at night here, with 41 days of air frost a year (Met Office 1991-2020 averages; the UK figures are 1.2°C and 53 days). Heat pumps keep heating well below freezing. A colder climate changes the size your installer specifies through the heat loss calculation, not whether a heat pump works.
Heat pump guides for Northern Ireland
Heat pump costs in other regions
Where are you?
See indicative costs and local installers for your area