Heating Systems Comparisons

What heats a UK home well and cheaply depends almost entirely on one question: is there a gas connection? If there is, gas central heating is still the cheapest running cost by a wide margin, and a heat pump is the main low-carbon alternative worth weighing up against it. If there isn't, or the property is being extended or converted, the choice usually narrows to storage heaters, electric panel heaters, or infrared panels, each with a different balance of upfront cost, running cost and day-to-day control.

None of these systems is universally "best". A heat pump can cut running costs and carbon emissions dramatically in a well-insulated home, but performs poorly in a draughty, uninsulated one. Storage heaters are the cheapest electric option for whole-house heating but give up some control in exchange. Panel heaters give instant, room-by-room heat at the cost of a higher bill. The guides below break down running costs, installation costs, and where each system genuinely makes sense, so you can match the system to the property rather than the other way round.

How to Choose a Heating System

Start with what's physically available. Gas central heating only makes sense where a gas connection already exists or can be added affordably, which rules it out for a lot of flats, rural properties, and off-grid conversions. If gas isn't an option, the real choice is between a heat pump and electric heating of some kind, and that decision comes down mostly to the building's insulation standard and how much you can spend upfront.

A heat pump needs a reasonably well-insulated, well-sealed home to run efficiently, because it works best delivering a steady, lower-temperature heat rather than the quick blast of a gas boiler or electric heater. Older, draughty properties often need fabric improvements, loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, better draught-proofing, before a heat pump pays off properly. Electric storage heaters and panel heaters don't have that requirement, which is one reason they remain common in flats and older buildings that haven't been upgraded.

Budget matters just as much as building type. A heat pump costs £7,000–£14,000 installed, offset in part by the government grant, but pays that back gradually through lower running costs and carbon savings. Storage heaters are far cheaper to install (£1,800–£3,000 whole house) and suit anyone who needs an affordable, no-fuss whole-house solution now rather than the lowest possible running cost over a decade. Panel heaters sit at the bottom of the upfront cost scale but the highest running cost, which makes sense for a single room or occasional use, less so as the main heating for an entire house.

Featured Comparisons

Storage Heater Guides

• How Do Storage Heaters Work?: Ceramic bricks, Economy 7, charging overnight and the difference between old and modern controls
• Are Storage Heaters Expensive to Run?: Cost breakdown by property size, against gas and electric radiators

Electric Heating Guides

• Electric Panel Heaters: Types, sizing by room, running costs, when they make sense

About these comparisons

Every comparison is built from UK government data (Energy Saving Trust, Ofgem, BEIS), manufacturer specifications, and independent testing (Which?, BRE). We cite sources for every claim. We don't take paid placements or affiliate commissions.