Warm Homes Loan Scheme: heat pumps, solar and survey checks

The Warm Homes Loan Scheme gives homeowners another way to explore air source heat pumps, solar panels and batteries. Before comparing finance, establish what the proposed work includes and whether the property evidence supports it.

An affordable monthly figure cannot tell you whether a heat pump suits the house or how many panels fit the roof. This guide separates the funding announcement from the practical checks behind a workable installation quote.

Warm Homes Loan Scheme: what has been announced?

The government announced UK-wide supported loans on 27 October 2026, with ten initial lenders. Some offers are interest-free; rates and terms vary. Applications remain subject to lender affordability, credit and eligibility checks. Some products use specified installer partners. The official factsheet sets out the starting offer.

The announcement requires MCS-certified installers for these technologies. It does not mean every lender offers every option.

Air source heat pump loans: check the heating proposal first

For central heating and hot water, an air source heat pump proposal normally concerns an air-to-water system. Air-to-air equipment heats rooms differently, so the two routes need different specifications.

Ask the installer to describe the whole job: outdoor unit, cylinder where required, radiator or underfloor heating changes, electrical work, controls, access and making good. A quote based on an assumed equipment position can change when someone measures the site.

An ASHP survey records property measurements, photographs, the proposed unit position, existing heating, electrical context and inputs needed for the agreed next stage. Distances, access restrictions and unresolved questions should be visible to the installer before the design is finalised.

If you are still deciding between air source and ground source, start with the broader heat pump survey route and ask which scope is appropriate. A general property survey should not be treated as a completed ground-loop design or specialist ground investigation.

Where a heat-loss calculation fits

Room-by-room heat demand helps the designer assess capacity and emitters. Floor area alone cannot explain how much heat each room needs or which assumptions were used for walls, windows and insulation.

A heat-loss calculation can use suitable plans or existing survey data, or require a measured visit. Ask which route the quote includes. Proposed extensions and insulation work need to be distinguished from the building as it stands, so the calculation describes the intended design scope.

Neither a survey nor a calculation guarantees a loan, grant approval or a particular bill saving. They help the responsible installer make and explain the property decisions.

Heat pump grants and loans are different

A loan must be repaid. A grant is separate support with its own conditions. The announcement says eligible households may combine the loan with grant support; check the two decisions separately.

Current Boiler Upgrade Scheme guidance lists £7,500 for an eligible air-to-water or ground source heat pump in England and Wales. Eligible oil- or LPG-heated homes without mains gas can receive an additional £1,500 until March 2027. Scotland and Northern Ireland have different grant arrangements.

Ask the installer to show the installation price, any grant deduction and the amount you would actually finance as separate figures. Our oil and LPG grant guide explains the relevant property questions.

Solar panel loans and solar battery finance: start with the site

Two similar houses can need different panel layouts. Chimneys, rooflights, dormers and shading affect usable space; access and scaffold requirements affect the work involved. The inverter, meter, consumer unit and cable route also belong in the discussion.

A solar survey brings the agreed roof, shading, access and electrical evidence into one report for the installer. Read the solar survey cost guide to understand the current survey route, then confirm the scope for the actual property.

If a battery is proposed, ask where it will go, how it connects and what restrictions need specialist assessment. A space that looks convenient in a photograph may not be a suitable installation location. Include the battery survey scope in the booking where needed.

Ask for the assumptions behind generation, household use, export income and battery operation. A national installation total or another household's saving is not a forecast for your roof.

Questions to take to your installer and lender

• Scope: does the quote include the survey, design, equipment, installation, access and any necessary electrical or heating changes?
• Evidence: which measurements support the design, and which assumptions still need checking?
• Responsibility: who completes the design, checks eligibility and resolves outstanding site questions?
• Terms: what are the APR, total amount repayable, repayment period, fees and any security requirements?
• Changes: what happens if the property assessment changes the proposed scope or price?

Use the lender's written terms and the installer's written specification together. A survey enquiry to Vertex is a request about property evidence, not an application for finance.

Sources and related reading