Almost half of Members of Parliament would support removing levies from electricity bills to make heat pumps more affordable, according to a new cross-party survey. The findings suggest growing momentum for energy cost reform, even as gaps remain in awareness of existing government incentives.
The poll, carried out by Savanta on behalf of clean energy company Aira, questioned 111 MPs. It found that 48 per cent favoured cutting electricity levies to encourage households to switch from gas boilers to heat pumps. Just 17 per cent opposed the proposal, while 34 per cent said they were neutral or needed more information.
The debate comes as UK households face some of the highest electricity prices in Europe. Currently, around four-fifths of levies are placed on electricity bills, compared with just a fifth on gas. This imbalance has left electricity roughly four times more expensive than gas, despite a rising share of supply now coming from renewable sources such as wind, solar and nuclear.
Divisions across parties
While the overall results point to broad backing for reform, the responses revealed divisions between parties. More than half of Liberal Democrat MPs surveyed (58 per cent) opposed the proposal, compared with 22 per cent of Conservatives and only 10 per cent of Labour MPs.
Support for heat pumps also varied widely. The technology was viewed as an effective solution by 72 per cent of Liberal Democrat MPs and 50 per cent of Labour MPs, but only 24 per cent of Conservatives agreed.
Poor awareness of government incentives
The survey also highlighted a lack of understanding among MPs about the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS). The programme, launched in 2022, offers households grants of up to £7,500 to install heat pumps.
Despite the scheme’s potential significance, only 8 per cent of MPs said they knew a lot about it. Nearly one in ten admitted they had never heard of it, while 87 per cent were at least aware of the policy. Labour MPs were the least familiar overall, while Liberal Democrats reported the highest levels of awareness (100 per cent). Conservatives, who introduced the scheme, showed the lowest awareness at 84 per cent.
When asked which measures would most effectively cut household carbon emissions, 71 per cent of MPs cited home insulation, followed by 54 per cent pointing to double or triple glazing. Almost half highlighted solar panels (49 per cent) and replacing gas or oil boilers with heat pumps (45 per cent).
Industry reaction
Matt Isherwood, UK Service Operations Director at Aira, said the results highlighted both progress and opportunity.
“This report shows us three things: that a strong number of MPs support heat pumps and cheaper electricity prices; that many politicians recognise the role heat pumps play in reducing household carbon emissions; and that more needs to be done to educate policymakers and constituents, especially in relation to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme,” he said.
Isherwood added that the growing parliamentary support for cutting electricity levies could mark a turning point. “It’s high time to deliver the ‘big bang’ moment that will supercharge heat pump adoption and deliver lower, more stable energy bills for British households,” he said.
