New research from City Plumbing shows how UK plumbers and heating installers are stepping up to meet the demand for low-carbon heating. However, regional disparities remain.
According to findings in City Plumbing’s new Taking the Temperature report, across the UK, 58% of professionals have already trained or upskilled in heat pumps, with a further 34% planning to do so within the next 12 months. Only 8% say they have not been trained and do not plan to train in heat pumps.
Confidence in the heat pump market is shown to be growing, with installers citing expected customer demand (37%), the chance to gain a competitive advantage (34%) and personal interest in renewable technologies (38%) as key motivators for training. Practical enablers also matter, with 30% saying they trained because it was convenient to access and 28% were encouraged or funded by their employer.
However, there remain some barriers to upskilling in renewables. Some respondents cited the cost (28%), lack of local offering (24%), difficulty in taking time off work (24%), not enough customer demand (24%) and too much competition (20%) as reasons against training in renewables. A fifth (20%) said they haven’t trained or plan to train as they will retire soon.
Nearly three-quarters (73%) of respondents said there are still not enough qualified heat pump installers to meet demand – raising concerns about meeting the Government’s target of 600,000 heat pump installations per year by 2028. Alongside this, 85% agree that there needs to be more financial support to help people train or upskill in renewables.
Exploring the research in more detail (see table below), several regions are leading the way, with Wales (75%), the East Midlands (74%) and both the North West and Scotland (72%) reporting the highest levels of trained installers. The South West also performs strongly at 68%, giving these areas a robust workforce to meet current demand.
Northern Ireland, despite having the lowest training uptake today (21%), shows the highest growth potential – with more than seven in ten professionals (71%) planning to upskill in the next 12 months. The North East (56%), East of England (47%) and Greater London (39%) also report significant pipelines of planned training, indicating that these areas could quickly close the gap with more mature markets.
Hemal Morjaria, Managing Director – Heating & Renewables (pictured below), said: “Our research shows clear progress on heat pump training, but some disparities between the regions. Although it’s positive to see so many upskilling, it’s important that we continue to support installers – especially sole traders and small businesses – with affordable and accessible training to future-proof the industry, which plays an essential part in the UK’s net zero ambitions.
“City Plumbing continues to invest heavily in this area. Our partnership with GTEC Training, two centres of excellence, mobile training rigs, and our heat pump umbrella scheme with VitoEnergy are helping hundreds of installers upskill and access government grants, creating a more resilient and future-ready workforce. Since 2023, City Plumbing has supported more than 650 installers through accredited training in heat pumps, with further training dates and incentives planned for 2025 and beyond as demand continues to rise.”
The heat pump training costs £660, but with the £500 Heat Training Grant and a £160 City Plumbing credit for a future heat pump purchase following completion of the course, the merchant notes that it “becomes effectively free.”
City Plumbing surveyed 500 plumbers and heating installers across the UK to find out industry trends, opportunities and threats, which are outlined in its new Taking the Temperature report.
| Region | % trained in heat pumps | % planning on training in the next 12 months | % not trained or planning on training | Insights |
| Wales | 75% | 13% | 12% | Strongest trained region |
| East Midlands | 74% | 17% | 9% | Second best prepared region |
| North West | 72% | 21% | 6% | Third best prepared region |
| Scotland | 72% | 22% | 6% | Fourth best prepared region |
| South West | 68% | 32% | 0% | Solid now, steady pipeline |
| Yorkshire & the Humber | 66% | 29% | 6% | Mid-high now, below-average pipeline |
| West Midlands | 65% | 23% | 12% | Mid-high now, below-average pipeline |
| South East | 60% | 26% | 14% | Above average now, mixed intent |
| Greater London | 52% | 39% | 9% | Mid-level now, good catch up potential |
| East of England | 45% | 47% | 7% | Lower current, but fast catch-up pipeline |
| North East | 44% | 56% | 0% | Lower current, but very strong pipeline |
| Northern Ireland | 21% | 71% | 7% | Lowest current, but the strongest pipeline of planned training |
| UK total | 58% | 34% | 8% |
