More than 315,000 UK homes now have heat pumps – and most of them have been installed since the start of 2022.

Heat pumps are growing in popularity, and the largest energy suppliers have rushed to provide electricity tariffs that suit these households.

These tariffs come with low off-peak rates that you can use to run your heat pump and power some of your other electricity usage, potentially saving hundreds of pounds per year.

In this guide, we’ll run through the top heat pump tariffs, how you can sign up for them, and all their benefits and drawbacks.

You can also save significantly on your heat pump running costs by powering it with solar panels. To find out how much you could save by going solar, enter a few details below and we'll provide an estimate.

What are the best heat pump tariffs?

The best heat pump tariffs are EDF Heat Pump Tracker, Good Energy Heat Pump, and British Gas Heat Power.

All the tariffs on this list provide households with off-peak rates they can use to cut their heat pump’s running costs – and most of them also let you power your other appliances with this cheap, off-peak electricity.

This type of tariff is growing in popularity, as heat pumps become a common fixture in UK homes.

The best heat pump tariffs: explained

Here’s everything you need to know about the six best heat pump tariffs, including how their off-peak and peak periods work, what their eligibility criteria are, and how much you could save.

We’ll also explain what you need to do to sign up to each tariff. You might have to switch suppliers to secure the best rate, but that simple step could save you hundreds of pounds per year.

1. EDF Heat Pump Tracker

Heat Pump Tracker is a variable tariff, but it comes with a simple rule: everything about it matches EDF’s standard tariff apart from the off-peak rate, which is 10p per kWh lower.

So when the company’s standard tariff changes – which should happen at least every three months, in line with the energy price cap – all of Heat Pump Tracker’s rates change too.

This means the off-peak rate isn’t particularly impressive – but everything else is. The peak rate and standing charge are the cheapest around, and since it’s a variable tariff, there’s no exit fee.

Full tariff profile

How to switch to EDF Heat Pump Tracker

Households must have an air source heat pump and a smart meter to sign up for Heat Pump Tracker.

EDF might ask you to prove you have a heat pump – either by sharing its Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certificate or sending a photo of the machine – so there’s no way round this requirement.

If you’re not an EDF import customer yet, you’ll need to join its standard tariff for around 14 days, while the supplier checks your smart meter connection.

After that point, you can sign up for Heat Pump Tracker online. EDF will check all your information, which can take up to five working days, and will let you know when the switch is done.

2. Good Energy Heat Pump

Good Energy offers a 13p per kWh off-peak rate – the lowest of any heat pump tariff – across seven off-peak hours.

You can use this rate from 5am to 9am, and between 1pm and 4pm.

The earlier period is particularly generous, as it covers the UK’s morning heating peak, which usually reaches its highest point between 7am and 8am.

As with most entries on this list, Good Energy’s tariff has one off-peak rate and one peak rate, which keeps things nice and simple.

Its peak rate and standing charge are both slightly above average, but that’s a price worth paying for the off-peak rate. Watch out for the £75 exit fee though, which is higher than any other heat pump tariff.

Full tariff profile

How to switch to Good Energy Heat Pump

All you need to sign up for this tariff is a smart meter – you don’t even need a heat pump.

You’ll have to fill in an online form, after which point you can join Good Energy on an interim fixed or variable tariff.

If you’re joining from a different supplier, the switching process should only take two days, according to Good Energy.  

The company will then connect to your smart meter and make sure it’s set up correctly, which can take up to two weeks, before moving you onto its Heat Pump tariff.

Good Energy usually completes this last step within 24 hours, and will email you when it’s done.

3. British Gas Heat Power

With British Gas, you’ll get an excellent 10 off-peak hours to power your heat pump for less, even if most of these hours are located in the 12am-7am period.

If you’re worried about being warm enough at night, this may be the tariff for you, but it doesn’t have many other features that make it stand out.

Its off-peak price is half the peak rate, which is generous, though the peak price is 31.5p per kWh.

This is one of the most expensive rates on the heat pump tariff market, and results in the supplier offering one of the highest off-peak rates too, at 15.75p per kWh.

Full tariff profile

How to switch to British Gas Heat Power

To be eligible for British Gas Heat Power, you’ll need a smart meter and a heat pump or electric heating system.

The company might ask you to confirm your ownership details, so make sure you have them to hand.

You’ll need to switch your electricity import tariff to British Gas, which will take at least three to five working days, according to the supplier.

British Gas will make sure it can connect to your smart meter – a process that usually takes about 14 days – before putting you on the Heat Power tariff.

4. E.ON Next Pumped

This tariff comes with three different rates that apply across four different periods, but it’s not as confusing as it sounds.

For eight hours overnight, you can run your heat pump (and the rest of your household) on a super-off peak rate of around 16.9p per kWh.

That’s higher than any other supplier’s off-peak rate, but E.ON softens this blow by providing a second off-peak rate of roughly 21.3p per kWh. That’s even higher, but still nowhere near the price cap – and it lasts for 13 hours.

You’ll have to deal with a high peak rate between 4pm and 7pm, but apart from that, you’ll pay well below the standard rate for your electricity.

So you should still shift your consumption – as with every heat pump tariff – but to avoid the peak rate, rather than take advantage of the off-peak rate. The effect is the same, though: a good amount of savings.

Full tariff profile

How to switch to E.ON Next Pumped

To qualify for Next Pumped, you'll need a smart meter, and you need to have a heat pump or electric boiler, or be planning to get one installed.

You'll also need to join an E.ON tariff before you can get a quote.

The supplier also doesn’t estimate how long the switch might take, but you can expect to wait around 14 days between joining a standard tariff and your Next Pumped account starting.

5. Scottish Power Heat Pump Saver

Heat Pump Saver comes with a 14p per kWh off-peak rate – the second-best on the market – but it’s only available for five hours.

This doesn’t leave much time for you to heat your home, and will probably leave you cold in the morning and at night if you just want to use cheap electricity.

If your property, pipes, and hot water cylinder aren't extremely well insulated, this single off-peak period probably won’t be enough – and even then, it’d be a stretch.

This extra expense is made even worse by Heat Pump Saver’s standing charge, which is the joint-highest of any heat pump tariff.

Full tariff profile

How to switch to Scottish Power Heat Pump Saver

To switch to Scottish Power Heat Pump Saver, you just need a heat pump and a smart meter.

New customers must join the supplier’s standard variable tariff, then apply to switch to the heat pump tariff through their online account.

You won’t be able to get a quote for Heat Pump Saver until you join Scottish Power, which is a downside for anyone who – quite rightly – wants to compare quotes before picking a tariff.

The supplier also doesn’t give a time frame for the switch, but you can expect the standard waiting period of 14 days between joining Scottish Power and starting on Heat Pump Saver.

6. Cosy Octopus

Octopus’s heat pump tariff is complicated, with three off-peak windows and two peak periods, but it’s pretty generous too.

You’ll get eight off-peak hours every day to run your heat pump at a rate that’s 51% lower than the peak rate.

This is more off-peak time than most suppliers offer – and it includes a 10pm-12am stretch that should ensure your home stays warm overnight.

However, in addition to its peak rate, Cosy Octopus also comes with an even higher rate between 4pm and 7pm.

You’ll pay 50% more than the peak rate during this period, so it’s crucial for your savings that you avoid using grid electricity as much as possible. A solar & battery system can help massively with this.

You can choose between fixed and variable versions of Cosy Octopus. Before you pick one or the other, check if energy bills are going up or down over the next year.

Full tariff profile

How to switch to Cosy Octopus

To switch to Cosy Octopus, you must have a smart meter and an electric heating system. This can be an air or ground source heat pump, electric boiler, or series of electric radiators.

If you’re not already getting grid electricity from Octopus, you’ll have to sign up for a standard tariff, then wait around 14 days for the supplier to connect to your smart meter.

Once this is completed, Octopus will send you an email asking you to accept its terms and conditions. When you do so, the switch should happen straight away.

Summary

The best heat pump tariff for you depends on your property’s energy efficiency, how warm you like your home to be, and when you need heating during the day.

However, your savings will likely be highest with one of EDF Heat Pump Tracker, Good Energy Heat Pump, or British Gas Heat Power as things stand.

You could cut your energy bills by hundreds of pounds per year on any of these tariffs, though your savings will be significantly higher with a solar & battery system.

If you’re wondering how much you could save with a solar & battery system, enter a few details below and we’ll provide an estimate.

The best heat pump tariffs: FAQs