Cost, comfort and reliability are the key considerations across all groups

When it came to home heating, we found that all segments said that cost was a key consideration, shortly followed by comfort and reliability. Often competing against each other, issues of cost and comfort were an ongoing dilemma for all segments when thinking about how they heated their homes.

Moving to capturing and storing energy is desirable

The biggest motivator to switch to electric heating across all segments was becoming self-sufficient – having technology at home that captured, stored and used solar energy to heat their home. Respondents felt this would ultimately keep costs down, too. Alongside this there was a strong desire to become independent from energy markets and energy companies themselves – citing the war in Ukraine and fuel import issues. Environmental reasons, ultimately reducing carbon emissions, were cited by some participants from segments A and G, but not as a primary motivation.

Most of the segments recognised electric systems as a greener, more environmentally friendly option, reducing their carbon footprint, but this was not a primary motivating factor. However, the resounding theme across the research was that the bottom line had to add up before people could move into action.

Installation and running costs are holding people back

The cost of a heat pump installation – initial outlay and necessary upgrades – was the main barrier to adopting the technology, with respondents from all segments also flagging running costs as a concern. There is also confusion/uncertainty around how all costs (installation, preparatory upgrades, running costs, tariffs, etc) compare to costs for boilers, which are already well established and people are clear about what they entail. Financial assistance, better visibility of running costs and increased confidence in the tech – reassurance that the technology was proven and could work in their home – were cited universally as the biggest enablers to moving to a heat pump.

Upgrades all at once appeal, with cost being the caveat

In principle, respondents were happy to do some upgrades to prepare to switch to low-carbon heating. The overwhelming preference was to do this all at once rather than piecemeal – although there was general recognition that the latter could be more manageable financially. However, upfront upgrade costs were off-putting for many, who also feared the changes may not pay off.

Advice is credible if it is independent or close to home

When making decisions, respondents across all segments sought opinions from their partner or spouse, but also older family members, valued for their experience and judgement. When it came to online sources, search engines were the starting point as a rule, alongside numerous mentions across segments of both Which? and Money Saving Expert/Martin Lewis for independent, unbiased advice. All segments reported trusting professionals who had already worked on their home and/or were recommended by friends and family or online directories – seeing them as having expert knowledge. But the same didn’t translate to energy companies where there was less trust in general because respondents viewed profit-making as the companies' main driver. However, where a respondent had an existing positive relationship with their energy supplier, this could be a source of trust.

While there were common responses across all segments, there were definite differences in priorities and issues raised, where we started to see opinions become more fragmented.

The ability to cool a home in summer was expressed by some segments as a preference and not raised by others. Health-related aspects of home heating, such as tackling damp and mould, were also more top of mind for specific segments. When it came to motivations to decarbonise home heating, moving away from unpredictable gas prices was more important to some, while others were focused on return on investment as a necessary motivating factor, and some saw the switch as a potential cost-saving solution – albeit with a long-term payback.

While preparatory home upgrades were particularly of concern for some segments for reasons of disruption, for others, it was more likely to be an issue that they live in a conservation area, which restricts the location of certain upgrades unless they apply for planning permission. Many also assumed lots of work would need to happen for a heat pump to work in an older home (which is not always the case).

Finally, segments had different approaches to seeking information and advice, with some actively checking government websites for advice and others seeking guidance elsewhere, citing cavity wall insulation mistakes as one reason not to trust government sources.

As well as initially heading to search engines for information, all segments reported using AI tools, in particular ChatGPT and Gemini. Respondents sometimes used them before a search engine. However, some respondents reported distrusting AI information for lack of transparency and credibility.

Online sources are in no way homogeneous, and there were distinct differences in how segments viewed information sourced from forums vs social media. Reddit was cited by all segments as being useful. Respondents saw it as unbiased, offering multiple views to allow them to balance different information, which was usually based on lived experience and was detailed enough to guarantee answers to the most niche questions.

Social media, on the other hand, was universally regarded with suspicion. Some segments reported avoiding it altogether for research due to the influx of influencers and sponsored adverts. Other segments who said they used it found local Facebook groups relevant, but reported that they avoided ads and influencers.