Can you get an MCS certificate for a heat pump after installation? Unfortunately, no. An MCS certification must be issued at the time of installation by a certified installer. For housebuilders and developers, planning for MCS from the start ensures compliance with Building Regulations, improves SAP and EPC ratings, supports warranties, and provides homeowners with reliable post-installation support. Learn how to achieve full MCS compliance while using your existing plumbing team.
The British public supports net zero, but media coverage often paints a different picture. This blog looks at how renewable energy, heat pumps, and home battery systems can reduce bills, improve energy security, and protect UK households from volatile global gas and oil prices.
Now is the perfect time for heating installers to experience a heat pump first-hand. Alto Energy’s Start At Home scheme provides a free heat pump and all the key equipment, full training, MCS certification, ongoing technical support, and up to £1,000 cashback. Gain real-life experience, understand running costs, and build confidence for the growing heat pump market.
Heat pumps in old houses can work surprisingly well, even in solid wall homes with limited insulation. The key is understanding heat loss, sizing radiators correctly, and designing the system around your property. See how careful planning transformed Aaron G’s home, cutting daily electricity costs and keeping every room warm.
The UK heat pump market surged in 2025, with 125,037 units sold, a 27% increase on 2024. For installers, this growth brings huge opportunity, but also the challenge of meeting rising demand for skilled professionals. Free training and MCS umbrella schemes from Alto Energy give engineers the tools and confidence to enter the low-carbon heating market, close skill gaps, and access government incentives.
In 2023, Alto Energy soared to new heights! We expanded our warehouse, revamped our heat pump training room, grew our team and achieved record-breaking heat pump sales. As we enter 2024, we’re excited to see the heat pump industry propel forward, advancing heat pump affordability. The recent announcement from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) regarding increased funding suggests an imminent surge in the heat pump market.
Yesterday Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a raft of policy changes regarding the UK’s approach to achieving net zero. The majority of the announcement related to pushing back the timeframes for bans on fossil fuel vehicles and boilers. However, the Prime Minister also announced a very welcome boost to the heat pump sector, with the news that the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant will be increasing to £7,500 for all technologies.
We are delighted and encouraged by the government's ongoing commitment to incentivise heat pump adoption. The decision to extend the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) until 2028 (initially scheduled to end in 2025) represents a welcome step forward by the government. This extension will expedite the shift from conventional fossil fuel boilers to sustainable heating systems.
As the UK seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and switch to renewable energy sources, the use of heat pumps as an alternative to gas boilers is progressing. However, recent studies have shown that there is a skills gap in the installation of heat pumps, and many engineers are not equipped to install them. This article explores the results from the recent study, the need for upskilling engineers and the services we provide to help fill the gap.
A coalition of energy, fuel poverty, and environmental groups recently called on the UK Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, to invest billions in upgrading homes with insulation and heat pumps. The group argued that investing in greener homes would make economic sense and create warmer homes with lower bills while improving living conditions.
The Telegraph recently published an article stating UK National targets for replacing gas boilers with heat pumps are based on unrealistic assumptions about the number of installers required to undertake such a transformation. The Energy and Utilities Alliance estimates that almost 3 times as many installers are required if the Government wants to achieve their heat pump installation targets.
