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Boilers & heating
Heating accounts for over half of a typical UK energy bill. A clapped-out boiler bleeds money every winter, but a new A-rated one pays for itself within years.
Before you spend a penny on a replacement, check what a switch to a cheaper tariff would knock off your gas bill. You may not need the new boiler quite yet.
~£90
Avg cost of an annual boiler service
95%+
Efficiency of modern condensing boilers
15yr
Typical UK boiler lifespan
£0
Cost of Gas Safe register lookup
Your boiler burns through more energy than any other appliance in a UK home, easily 60% of an annual gas bill. Picking the right type, servicing it once a year and replacing it when efficiency drops are three of the biggest levers you have on your bill.
This hub gathers 12 boiler guides together with a quick comparison of every boiler technology on the UK market, combi, system, conventional, electric, oil and solid fuel, plus the rules every household and landlord has to follow.
The four most-read guides
These four guides answer the calls every UK heating engineer hears most often, what to fix, what to insure, and who to trust.
Annual check-up
What an annual boiler service actually covers, how much it costs across UK regions, and why skipping it can void your manufacturer warranty.
Boiler service guideFix it or replace it?
When a repair makes sense and when a new boiler is the cheaper option, plus typical UK repair costs for combi, system and conventional units.
Repair or replace?What you really pay
A new boiler costs £1,800 to £3,200 fitted, but the quote is rarely the price. How installer pricing works, why quotes differ by £1,500, and the grants that cut it.
See real costsGrants & eligibility
The "free boiler scheme" in 2026 is ECO4, and it no longer means a free gas boiler for everyone. Who really qualifies, plus the £7,500 heat pump grant.
Check eligibilityThe six UK boiler families
Every UK home heats with one of six boiler technologies. Match the type to the property and you stop overpaying for either fuel or storage space.
Hot water on demand. No storage tank. Best for small to medium UK homes with one bathroom.
Strength: Compact, efficient
Watch out: Struggles with simultaneous taps
Hot water via a cylinder, no cold-water tank in the loft. Good middle-ground for medium UK homes with multiple bathrooms.
Strength: Multiple hot taps
Watch out: Needs cylinder space
Cold and hot tanks plus a boiler. Lots of hot water at once but takes a lot of cupboard and loft space.
Strength: High simultaneous demand
Watch out: Bulky install
No gas needed. Good for off-grid flats and small homes, but unit costs are higher per kWh than gas.
Strength: No flue, easy install
Watch out: Higher running costs
Heating oil from an on-site tank. Rural homes with no gas mains. Modern oil units hit 95%+ efficiency.
Strength: Off-grid friendly
Watch out: Oil price volatility
Wood, pellets or coal. Steel or cast iron. Works in power cuts and pellets are carbon-neutral, but requires fuel storage.
Strength: Power-cut proof
Watch out: Ash, fuel storage
Every boiler task in one place
Filter by what you need today, a service, a cover plan, a quick fix or a check on the engineer at the door.
Annual check-up · Maintenance
What an annual boiler service actually covers, how much it costs across UK regions, and why skipping it can void your manufacturer warranty.
Insurance for breakdowns · Insurance
How boiler cover plans work, what they include (parts, labour, emergencies) and how to compare quotes from British Gas, HomeServe and others.
Fix it or replace it? · Decision
When a repair makes sense and when a new boiler is the cheaper option, plus typical UK repair costs for combi, system and conventional units.
Keep it running longer · How-to
A year-round checklist to keep your UK boiler efficient, bleeding radiators, checking pressure, lagging pipes and avoiding the dreaded freeze-up.
Legal duty for rentals · Landlords
Boiler and gas-appliance obligations for UK landlords, what a CP12 must include, and the cover policies tailored to rented properties.
Engineer verification · Compliance
The official register that has replaced CORGI in Great Britain. How to check an engineer's ID, what the licence covers, and how to get certified.
What you really pay · Costs
A new boiler costs £1,800 to £3,200 fitted, but the quote is rarely the price. How installer pricing works, why quotes differ by £1,500, and the grants that cut it.
Is it right for you? · Boiler type
What a combi boiler is, what it costs, and the one thing that decides if it suits your home: how many hot taps you run at once. Combi vs system vs conventional.
Cost & when it fits · Boiler type
99% efficient and cheap to fit, but 3 to 4 times more expensive to run than gas. When the trade-off is worth it (flats, off-gas) and when it is not.
Grants & eligibility · Grants
The "free boiler scheme" in 2026 is ECO4, and it no longer means a free gas boiler for everyone. Who really qualifies, plus the £7,500 heat pump grant.
True total cost · Costs
The real total cost of a combi boiler vs an air source heat pump, upfront, the £7,500 grant and running costs, and why the electricity tariff decides the winner.
Get the right kW · How-to
Find the right boiler size in kW for your home with a free calculator. Why bigger is not better, and how oversizing quietly costs you money every day.
Where boiler efficiency hides
Older UK boilers can run at 60 to 70% efficiency. Modern condensing units squeeze almost every joule out of the gas they burn, and ECO funding may even cover the install.
95%+
Efficiency of an A-rated condensing boiler
~£300
Avg annual saving from a G→A upgrade
£0
Possible cost via ECO funding
Indicative figures, May 2026. Check eligibility on the ECO guide.
Keep exploring
Your boiler does not exist in isolation, pair it with the right tariff and check what support you qualify for.
Every UK tariff type, fixed, variable, Economy 7, EV and dual fuel.
Smart, prepayment, electric, gas, every UK meter type explained.
Read your bill, fix mistakes, go paperless, change the name on it.
How much energy a UK home uses and how to cut it down.
Boiler-upgrade grants, ECO, Warm Home Discount and more.
Green suppliers, solar, wind and biogas, and heat pumps.
Ofgem, the price cap, the Ombudsman and how the UK market works.
Who delivers your gas and electricity, and what to do in a power cut.
Boilers FAQ
Every 12 months, by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Skipping a service usually voids the manufacturer warranty and increases the risk of breakdowns just when you need the heating most. See the boiler service guide.
If your boiler is over 10 years old, has had multiple repairs, or scores below B for efficiency, replacement usually pays back within five years. Newer boilers with isolated faults are almost always worth repairing. Our repair or replace guide includes a quick decision matrix.
Most plans cover parts, labour and an annual service. Premium tiers add controls, radiators, and full central heating cover. Always read the exclusions, pre-existing faults, sludge damage and limescale are commonly excluded. The boiler cover guide compares the main UK providers.
Ask to see their Gas Safe ID card and verify it on the official Gas Safe Register. Anyone working on a gas appliance in Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man or Guernsey must be on the register, see our Gas Safe guide.
Yes. UK landlords must arrange an annual gas safety check (CP12) on every gas appliance in a rental property and provide a copy to tenants within 28 days. The landlord cover guide explains the rules in detail.
Possibly. The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) can fund a replacement boiler if you are on a qualifying benefit and the existing unit is inefficient. Apply through your supplier, full eligibility in the ECO guide.
A boiler runs better on the right tariff
Even an efficient boiler will overcharge you on the wrong tariff. Compare UK gas suppliers and lock in the cheapest plan for your postcode.
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