Commenting on the election of the new government, Charlotte Lee, chief executive of the Heat Pump Association said: “On behalf of the Heat Pump Association and its members, I extend my congratulations to the newly elected government. We stand ready to engage, support and collaborate closely to achieve our shared goals of reducing carbon emissions and advancing the widescale deployment of heat pumps in the UK.

The transition to low-carbon heating is critical in addressing climate change, and heat pumps are a cornerstone of this transition. We urge the new government to pursue robust, clear regulatory changes and policy developments that remove unnecessary barriers to the widescale deployment of heat pumps, such as the implementation of the Future Homes Standard, Changes to Permitted Development Rights and provide clarity on the future of the Clean Heat Market mechanism.

Additionally, it will be vital to reduce the upfront and running costs of heat pumps to make the lowest carbon heat the lowest cost heat. Steps should be taken to consult on how best to rebalance electricity and gas prices with the aim of making electricity cheaper.

Furthermore, it is essential to ensure we have a skilled and competent workforce to support this transition. We call on the government to invest in training and development programmes that will prepare our workforce for the future of low-carbon heating. These include the continuation of the Heat Training Grant, publishing the updated Mandatory Technical Competency documents and mandating low temperature heating training for all heating engineers.

Engaging consumers in this transition is equally important, and we seek to work with the government to raise awareness and support for heat pump technology.

Lastly, we must support the heat pump supply chain by maintaining and updating technical standards. This will ensure that our industry can continue to innovate and provide reliable, high-quality solutions.

The Heat Pump Association looks forward to working with the new government to achieve these goals and drive the UK towards a more sustainable future.”

Mark Dyer – deputy managing director, Daikin UK, said:  “We are looking forward to working with the new government to deliver a greener future for the nation. Labour’s commitment to support the deployment of low carbon heating through the ‘Warm Homes Plan’ is very welcome and it will help hundreds of thousands of households install air source heat pumps. We would urge the government to consult on the plan at the earliest opportunity.”

The Sustainable Energy Association said: “As we enter a new era with the first Labour Government since 2010, the SEA remains committed to its vision for creating healthier, warmer, and more sustainable buildings, as part of a just transition to Net Zero.

We hope that the new Labour Government will stay true on its manifesto commitments to:

Invest an extra £6.6 billion in energy efficiency upgrades for the benefit of 5 million homes.

Introduce greater standards for private rented homes.

Offer grants and low interest loans to support investment in insulation, solar panels, batteries, and low carbon heating.

The SEA will continue to advocate for a fabric first, technology agnostic approach to deliver buildings fit for the future, and we look forward to working with government and industry to drive real change.”

Griff Thomas, managing director for GTEC & Heatly said: “Welcome to the new Labour government, it will be interesting to see what the next five years’ bring. With a strong focus on improving home standards, including bringing rental properties up to band C, there should be plenty of opportunities for installers in the building services and energy efficiency retrofit sectors. What’s most important is that we stick to the programme, flip flopping of environmental policy is extremely damaging and dents confidence in installers and consumers. I would like to see the plan for our path to Net Zero set for the next 10 years.”

Mark Krull, director for Logic4training & LCL Awards: “It’s clear that change was what the British public wanted, let’s hope its for the better and Labour delivers on its promises. Some of its environmental policies look particularly interesting, such as the Local Power Plan and Great British Energy, encouraging a community approach to Net Zero that should provide a boost to local installers; all of the policies outlined relating to our sector will call for a trained and expanded workforce.”