There is a lot of confusion about this, and most of it is unnecessary. Here is the actual position.
Will you have to rip out your boiler? No. Can you still get a gas boiler now? Yes. The detail below is written for homeowners in West Sussex and Surrey working out what to do next.
Government policy on home heating is subject to change. This page reflects the position at the time of writing, and we review it as new information becomes available.
What is actually happening
- From 2035, no new gas boilers can be installed in existing homes
- New builds have already been unable to have gas boilers since 2025
- Existing boilers can continue to be used and repaired after 2035
- Nobody will make you remove a working gas boiler
You can still install a new gas boiler now, keep your existing one after 2035, repair it after 2035, service it as normal, and use gas for cooking.
After 2035 you cannot install a new gas-only boiler. Replacements will need to be low carbon, most likely a heat pump or a hydrogen-ready boiler, and the detailed rules may still change.
What it means for you specifically
If your boiler is over ten years old and will need replacing soon, you can still fit a gas boiler now and it will serve you for another ten to fifteen years. By then the heat pump landscape will be far clearer and probably cheaper. A hydrogen-ready boiler gives you optionality at no real extra cost.
If your boiler is five to ten years old, keep servicing it. When it needs replacing, around 2030 to 2035, you will have more options and better guidance.
If your boiler is under five years old, there is nothing to think about yet. Service it annually. By the time it needs replacing, the picture will be much clearer.
If you are planning a major renovation, that is the moment to consider a heat pump, especially if you are improving insulation anyway and the disruption is already happening.
Your options
A gas boiler now. Still the most cost-effective choice for most homes, at £1,600 to £5,200 installed. Proven, affordable and works in any property. The catch is that when it eventually needs replacing after 2035, the replacement may need to be low carbon.
A hydrogen-ready boiler. Costs about the same as a standard gas boiler and can convert if the network ever switches, with no major changes to the rest of your system. Cheap flexibility, though hydrogen conversion is not guaranteed. Our guide to hydrogen-ready boilers covers whether one is worth choosing.
An air source heat pump. Electric heating that extracts heat from the outside air. £8,000 to £15,000 installed. Low carbon and future proof, but the upfront cost is higher, it needs decent insulation and it may need larger radiators.
A hybrid system. A heat pump with gas boiler backup, £5,000 to £10,000. The best of both, and it works in any weather, but it is more complex and needs space for both.
These are typical figures for an average three bedroom home. Your own will vary with the property.
Is your home heat pump ready?
Heat pumps work best in well-insulated homes. These are the factors that decide it.
Good candidates: modern or well-insulated homes, properties with underfloor heating, homes with larger radiators already, anywhere with space for the outdoor unit, and off-gas properties that have no gas option anyway.
May need work first: older poorly insulated homes, small radiators throughout, no outdoor space, terraces where noise matters, and listed buildings with planning restrictions.
Our guide to air source heat pumps goes through running costs and suitability in more detail.
What we tell customers
- Do not panic. You have until 2035 if you want a gas boiler.
- If yours needs replacing now, gas or hydrogen-ready is still sensible for most homes.
- Consider your property honestly. Heat pumps are not right for every home yet.
- Watch the technology. What is expensive now may be affordable in five years.
- Improve insulation first. Whatever heating you end up with, insulation reduces the bill.
- Get proper quotes for both. Compare gas, hydrogen-ready and heat pump for your actual property rather than in the abstract.
Frequently asked
Will I be forced to remove my gas boiler?
No. There are no plans to make anyone remove a working gas boiler. The 2035 date applies to installing new ones. Your existing boiler can be used, serviced and repaired indefinitely.
Should I rush to fit a gas boiler before 2035?
Only if you need one anyway. There is no sense replacing a working boiler early. If yours is ten to fifteen years old and approaching the end of its life, fitting a gas boiler now is perfectly sensible and it will serve you well into the 2030s.
What is a hydrogen-ready boiler?
One that runs on natural gas now but can be converted to hydrogen if the gas network ever switches. It costs roughly the same as a standard gas boiler, so it is cheap optionality. Whether the network actually converts is not guaranteed.
Will heat pumps get cheaper?
Almost certainly. Costs typically fall as demand rises and technology matures, and government policy is pushing toward heat pump costs matching gas boilers.
What if I live in a flat?
Heat pumps in flats are more challenging because of space and planning constraints. The options include communal heat pump systems or smaller individual units, and the rules for flats may evolve differently. For now, a gas boiler remains a practical option where it is permitted.
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Relevant in:CrawleyHorshamEast Grinstead