Facts and figures
UK boiler market facts, from official sources
Every figure here comes from the government, the Census or the heating industry’s own body. Each one links to its source and shows its date and the part of the UK it covers. Nothing is estimated.
Updated
How UK homes are heated
Gas boilers still heat most homes, which is why boiler installation is such steady work for a heating firm.
Three quarters of people in the UK say a gas boiler is the main way they heat their home.
Covers: UK. Source: DESNZ Public Attitudes Tracker: Heat and energy use in the home, Winter 2025, UK (opens in a new tab), Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 12 March 2026 (Survey run 4 November to 9 December 2025).
Around three in four households in England and Wales use mains gas as their only central heating.
Covers: England and Wales. Source: Census 2021: How homes are heated in your area (opens in a new tab), Office for National Statistics, 5 January 2023 (Census Day, 21 March 2021).
367,130 homes in England and Wales had no central heating at all at the 2021 Census.
Covers: England and Wales. Source: Census 2021: How homes are heated in your area (opens in a new tab), Office for National Statistics, 5 January 2023 (Census Day, 21 March 2021).
93% of homes in England had central heating in 2024, up from 80% in 1996.
Covers: England. Source: English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025: Headline findings on housing quality and energy efficiency, Chapter 2 (opens in a new tab), Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, 29 January 2026 (2024 data).
In 2024, 63% of homes in England had a condensing combination boiler and 19% had a standard condensing boiler, against 2% and 1% in 2001.
Covers: England. Source: English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025: Headline findings on housing quality and energy efficiency, Chapter 2 (opens in a new tab), Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, 29 January 2026 (2024 data).
When homeowners replace their heating
Most homeowners wait for trouble before they replace a boiler, so the firm that is easy to find when that moment comes wins the job.
54% of people in the UK say they would only replace their heating system when it deteriorates or breaks down, up from 51%.
Covers: UK. Source: DESNZ Public Attitudes Tracker: Heat and energy use in the home, Winter 2025, UK (opens in a new tab), Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 12 March 2026 (Survey run 4 November to 9 December 2025).
Only 13% of people in the UK say they would consider replacing their heating system while it is still working.
Covers: UK. Source: DESNZ Public Attitudes Tracker: Heat and energy use in the home, Winter 2025, UK (opens in a new tab), Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 12 March 2026 (Survey run 4 November to 9 December 2025).
Where the energy goes
Heating is the biggest use of energy in UK homes by a long way.
In 2025, 60.8% of the energy used in UK homes went on space heating, with a further 17.4% on heating water.
Covers: UK. Source: Energy Consumption in the UK (ECUK) 2026 (opens in a new tab), Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 24 September 2026 (2025 data).
75% of the gas used in homes goes on space heating.
Covers: Great Britain. Source: Subnational electricity and gas consumption summary report 2024 (opens in a new tab), Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 19 December 2025 (2024 data).
The rules that shape a boiler installation
The standards every new gas boiler has to meet in an existing home, and what is changing for new builds.
Since 1 April 2005, Building Regulations guidance has expected a condensing boiler whenever a gas or oil boiler is fitted in a new or existing home, unless exceptional circumstances make this too difficult.
Covers: England and Wales at the time. Source: ODPM Circular 04/2005: Amendments to Approved Document L1 (opens in a new tab), Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 1 April 2005.
The English Housing Survey describes condensing boilers as generally the most efficient boiler type, mandatory for new and replacement boilers since the mid 2000s.
Covers: England. Source: English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025: Headline findings on housing quality and energy efficiency, Chapter 2 (opens in a new tab), Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, 29 January 2026 (2024 data).
Since April 2018, every gas boiler installed in an existing home in England has had to reach at least 92% ErP efficiency under the Boiler Plus standards.
Covers: England. Source: Boiler Plus: New standards for domestic boiler installations from April 2018 (opens in a new tab), Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, 12 October 2018.
The 92% ErP minimum applies to the boiler itself, so a boiler below it does not comply even if other parts lift the system rating.
Covers: England. Source: Boiler Plus: New standards for domestic boiler installations from April 2018 (opens in a new tab), Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, 12 October 2018.
When a gas combination boiler is fitted in an existing home, at least one extra efficiency measure should be installed: flue gas heat recovery, weather compensation, load compensation, or a smart thermostat with automation and optimisation.
Covers: England. Source: Approved Document L, Volume 1: Dwellings, 2021 edition incorporating 2023 amendments (opens in a new tab), Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, 15 June 2022 (In force from 15 June 2022).
When a wet heating system is newly installed or fully replaced (boiler, radiators and pipework), it should be sized to run at a maximum flow temperature of 55°C or lower. A boiler swap on its own is not covered by this.
Covers: England. Source: Approved Document L, Volume 1: Dwellings, 2021 edition incorporating 2023 amendments (opens in a new tab), Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, 15 June 2022 (In force from 15 June 2022).
The Future Homes and Buildings Standards come into force on 24 March 2027 and will make sure new homes are built with low carbon heating. They cover new homes, not boiler replacements in existing ones.
Covers: England. Source: The Future Homes and Buildings Standards: Summary of responses and Government response (opens in a new tab), Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, March 2026.
Boiler sales
The industry body for heating manufacturers last published an annual sales total for 2019.
1.67 million gas boilers were sold in the UK in 2019, the latest annual total the Heating and Hotwater Industry Council has published.
Covers: UK. Source: Boiler sales at their highest but zombie boilers survive (opens in a new tab), Heating and Hotwater Industry Council, 22 January 2020 (2019 sales, the latest annual total HHIC has published).
All sources
Figures from different sources cover different years and different parts of the UK, so please don’t add them together or compare them directly. If you quote one, link to its source.
- DESNZ Public Attitudes Tracker: Heat and energy use in the home, Winter 2025, UK (opens in a new tab). Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 12 March 2026 (Survey run 4 November to 9 December 2025).
- Census 2021: How homes are heated in your area (opens in a new tab). Office for National Statistics, 5 January 2023 (Census Day, 21 March 2021).
- English Housing Survey 2024 to 2025: Headline findings on housing quality and energy efficiency, Chapter 2 (opens in a new tab). Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, 29 January 2026 (2024 data).
- Energy Consumption in the UK (ECUK) 2026 (opens in a new tab). Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 24 September 2026 (2025 data).
- Subnational electricity and gas consumption summary report 2024 (opens in a new tab). Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 19 December 2025 (2024 data).
- ODPM Circular 04/2005: Amendments to Approved Document L1 (opens in a new tab). Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 1 April 2005.
- Boiler Plus: New standards for domestic boiler installations from April 2018 (opens in a new tab). Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, 12 October 2018.
- Approved Document L, Volume 1: Dwellings, 2021 edition incorporating 2023 amendments (opens in a new tab). Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, 15 June 2022 (In force from 15 June 2022).
- The Future Homes and Buildings Standards: Summary of responses and Government response (opens in a new tab). Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, March 2026.
- Boiler sales at their highest but zombie boilers survive (opens in a new tab). Heating and Hotwater Industry Council, 22 January 2020 (2019 sales, the latest annual total HHIC has published).
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