Gas Boiler & Central Heating Running Cost Calculator
Calculate how much your central heating costs to run per hour, per day, and across the heating season. Compare gas, heat pump, and oil heating.
Heating Cost Guide
UK Heating Costs 2026/27
Ofgem price cap (Q1 2025 estimate): gas approximately 6.24p/kWh, electricity approximately 24.5p/kWh. Gas is significantly cheaper per kWh than electricity — which is why gas central heating is much cheaper to run than direct electric heating. Average UK household energy bills (Ofgem, 2024): typical gas heated home £1,700-2,200/year (gas + electricity combined). Electricity only homes: £2,500-3,500+/year for equivalent heat. Heat pumps change this calculation: a heat pump with COP of 3 delivers
Boiler Efficiency and Heat Pumps
Modern condensing gas boilers: 90-95% efficient (AFUE). Input 1 kWh gas, get 0.90-0.95 kWh heat. Old non-condensing boiler: 65-80% efficient — significant waste. Heat pumps: efficiency measured as COP (coefficient of performance). Air source heat pump (ASHP): COP 2.5-3.5 (typical UK). Ground source heat pump (GSHP): COP 3.5-4.5. COP > 1 because heat pump moves heat rather than generating it. A GSHP at COP 4 delivers 4 units of heat for 1 unit of electricity. Carbon intensity: grid electricity in
Reducing Heating Bills
Quick wins (< £100 investment): bleed radiators (trapped air reduces efficiency by 10-20%). TRVs (thermostatic radiator valves) on all rooms except one. Draught proofing (doors, letterboxes, keyholes — saves £30-60/year). Boiler service (ensures efficient combustion). Reducing thermostat by 1°C saves approximately 10% on heating bills. Medium investment (£100-500): smart thermostat (Hive, Nest, tado) — learning and scheduling saves 10-30%. Insulation draught excluders. Longer payback investments
Boiler Plus Regulations
Since April 2018, all new boiler installations in England must include: a weather compensation controller (adjusts boiler flow temperature based on outside temperature — 5-8% gas saving) OR a flue gas heat recovery system OR smart controls. Boiler control improvements: weather compensation is the single most impactful boiler efficiency upgrade. A condensing boiler runs at peak efficiency when the return temperature is below 55°C — weather compensation maintains low return temperatures in milder
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