What's the most efficient way to heat a home?
Efficiency isn't just the heating system — it's the whole home. Here's how the options stack up.
"Most efficient" depends on your home, but here's the honest hierarchy — and why the building matters as much as the boiler.
Start with the fabric
No heating system is efficient in a leaky home. Insulation and draught-proofing come first — they make every heating option work better.
Efficient gas boiler
A modern A-rated condensing boiler is around 90%+ efficient — a big step up from old units, and the practical choice for many homes today.
Heat pump
An air source heat pump is the efficiency leader at 300–400%, and the £7,500 grant helps with cost — best in a well-insulated home.
The smart order
Insulate → efficient heating → controls. Done in that order, you spend less and save more than chasing any single "efficient" gadget.
Efficiency starts with the building
It's worth repeating because it's so often missed: the most efficient heating system in a leaky home is still wasteful. Pound for pound, insulation and draught-proofing usually deliver more saving than any heating upgrade — and they make whatever heating you have work better. Get the fabric right first, then choose your heating.
Matching the system to the home
- Well-insulated home → a heat pump can be the efficiency leader.
- Most homes today → a modern A-rated boiler is the practical efficient choice.
- Every home → good controls and insulation multiply the benefit.