Heating engineers across Britain are being offered a chance to warm up their own homes with cutting-edge tech – and a potential cash saving.

Nesta, the UK’s research and innovation foundation, is calling on engineers to take part in its Start at Home scheme, which helps participants to install a government-funded heat pump in their own property. The idea? Learn the ropes at home, so they can speak from experience when fitting them for customers.

Heat pumps are the future of heating – they’re cleaner, greener, and up to four times more efficient than your average gas boiler. With the right energy tariff, that can mean lower bills, as well as less maintenance, and a cosy home this winter and for years to come. Some 360,000 homes in Britain already use them.

Britain needs tens of thousands more trained engineers to hit 450,000 heat pump installations per year by 2030 – part of the national drive to cut greenhouse gas emissions and reach emission targets by 2050.

And while many boiler engineers are curious about heat pumps, most haven’t yet had the chance to try one out or install one themselves.

Madeleine Gabriel, Director of Sustainable Future at Nesta, said: “We want to help engineers get hands-on with heat pumps. The Start at Home scheme is about learning by doing in a low-pressure environment, with expert support and the right equipment, and gaining the skills and know-how as more and more customers look to switch their home heating. It’s a smart way to future-proof both your home and business.”

The scheme is open to qualified heating engineers across England, Scotland and Wales and follows a successful Nesta pilot in partnership with the Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation, where engineers got hands-on experience with heat pumps and expert support. Every participant who installed a heat pump at home (18) came away with a deeper understanding of system design and installation, with 72% of these describing the gain as substantial, citing improved technical fluency and troubleshooting skills. The pilot also increased confidence, with 61% feeling much more confident in heat pumps as a technology and 66% feeling their confidence had increased a lot when talking to customers about heat pumps.

Scott, 49, Cumbria, installed his heat pump in June through Vaillant, in partnership with VitoEnergy and EcoFuture. He said: “I believe in the technology and it’s much easier to promote them if you have one in your own home. You learn more about how to set them up so they are as efficient as possible. I’d say go for it if you’re an engineer that isn’t sure about enrolling – it really does help future installs and explaining to customers with confidence about how they work."

Eric MacRae, a participant of the pilot programme, added: “I have confidence now that I've got one running in my own property that I have 24/7 experience of. Instead of giving people a spiel, I can now speak from personal experience of using it myself. It’s giving me an extra edge, and I feel that I can emphasise more of the advantages than I previously would have been able to.”

Engineers can sign up at startathome.org.uk to find a scheme that suits them. The programme is being rolled out with a wide range of partners across England, Scotland and Wales.

The programme is backed by £2 million made available by Nesta to help companies cover upfront installation costs. Instead of waiting for reimbursement through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme or Home Energy Scotland Grant, companies can use these funds as a repayable cushion — up to £500,000 each — until their official refunds arrive.

By supporting an engineer’s first heat pump installation, the Start at Home scheme cuts their costs and paperwork. It also helps engineers work towards MCS certification – the UK’s quality mark for renewable energy installers in the UK.

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Start at Home brings together companies that help heating engineers fit a government-funded heat pump at home. Installation may not be fully subsidised, additional costs may apply. Scheme participation and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and Home Energy Scotland funding are subject to eligibility and T&Cs.

Start at Home schemes are available through the following partners:

• Start with Grant by Grant UK
• Start at Home by Renewables Centre
• Alto Assured Start at Home by Alto Energy Limited
• myVAILLANT by Vaillant, in partnership with VitoEnergy and EcoFuture
• HISA by HISA Engineering Ltd
• HPIN+ by HPIN and EDF Heat Pumps
• ViStartathome by Viessmann