Cost, comfort and confidence remain the three guiding principles across our segments, with cost being the overriding priority. However, there are very clear distinctions between the groups in certain areas, reflecting their stage of life, finances, ideology and practical circumstances. Treating the population of Great Britain as a homogenous group when speaking about heat pumps is not going to result in massive shifts in engagement – there is no one-size-fits-all. The more we learn about these segments, the more we see the nuances of issues which engage people, and what can turn them off.

However, general observations across the segments identified the following key themes and recommendations.

Self-sufficiency is the strongest motivator

When the message testing on Meta took place, the war in Iran was dominating the news. Fuel shortages for airlines, price spikes for oil and looming increases for gas were much publicised. Since the 2022 energy crisis, the impact of reliance on foreign fuel is commonly accepted and there is a strong appeal across segments to move towards homegrown energy.

Focusing on the lower volatility and security of electricity will support this motivation.

Heating and cooling matter

With warmer summers and homes still built in traditionally British ways, the ability to cool a home has become an emerging priority for many segments. This is an area where electric heating has a distinct advantage.

For segments that value this, the flexibility of heating and cooling is a message that could directly address a growing need.

Cost is the biggest barrier

The upfront costs, along with those involved in preparing the home with required upgrades, are paralysing barriers for many. A lack of clarity when it comes to the future bills and payback period adds to this dilemma. As well as the financial strain, the disruption many associate with upgrades and install is a big blocker too.

Where possible, focus on available grants, as low-disruption prep as possible and detail on future bills rather than headlines.

Confidence in the tech is not there

Heat pumps are not a new technology, but for many, they feel like one. While people in this segment report not having seen a heat pump before, they have been exposed to anecdotal horror stories and misinformation about the technology. This comes from online, friends and families, but also trusted tradespeople too.

Reassurance of the normality of the tech through lived experiences and real life testimonials is needed to prove that heat pumps can work ‘in homes like mine’.

The trusted messenger

Following directly from the real-life proof, it was clear that segments actively reject sources of information where they feel that there is a financial incentive. Respondents can be quite vocal about their distrust in government and local authorities due to previous issues with advice, but others are more favourable or neutral. Independent, consistent advice through respected neutral parties such as Which? and Money Saving Expert are critical sources – along with forums to answer niche questions and hear feedback from those who know best – people who live with a heat pump every day. We know this is critical and is the model for visitaheatpump.com.

Align with trusted messengers and provide advice fronted by respected experts, such as heating engineers or those with lived experience, to gain more credibility and cut through.

Applying these findings

We have published these findings to support those working with the public on household decarbonisation – to bridge that gap between interest in principle and practical adoption.

We partnered with Experian to develop these bespoke segments through advanced clustering of Mosaic groups, enriched by layering multiple complementary data sets.

To access these segments, please contact Experian to discuss a licence that enables full access to the underlying data.

If you already hold an Experian licence, reach out to your Experian Account Manager to explore how you can get access to the bespoke segmentation.