Home heating experts have called on the UK government for better support for homeowners looking to take steps in making their homes more sustainable.

Currently, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which was introduced by the previous UK government to promote energy efficiency in home and reduce carbon emissions, is falling short by not including hybrid heating systems in its remit.

Research conducted by Alpha has found that despite 74 per cent of UK household billpayers claiming to care about the carbon footprint of their home, only 38 per cent would be likely to opt for a non-fossil-fuel-based system - mainly due to the cost.

Making the switch to a standalone heat pump system is often not an easy decision due to the necessary upgrades required to the home, in addition to the price tag of the appliance itself.

It has been reported that only 18,900 heat pumps were installed between May 2022 and December 2023, a significant shortfall from the government’s 50,000 target.

Alpha is calling for hybrid systems to be included in the government scheme. A hybrid heating system pairs a traditional gas boiler with a heat pump.

Alpha is suggesting a grant amount of £2,500 for hybrid systems. Compared with the £7,500 available for a heat pump installation, this means that the current funding could help three times the number of households venture into renewable heating.