Top Five Takeaways From Baxi’s Fourth Annual Installer Skills Survey   

Are installers and homeowners warming to heat pumps? The fourth annual Baxi Installer Skills Survey has the answers. This year, the survey – conducted by green supply chain consultancy Talan (formerly Gemserv) – gathered responses from almost 400 installers, making it the most comprehensive snapshot of UK installer attitudes to heat pumps to date.   

We’ve put together the top five takeaways from the survey findings to share with you.
 

1. Installers are growing in confidence when it comes to installing heat pumps   
    

The study found that 59% of installers are either developing the skills to fit heat pumps or intending to do so within the next few years. We’re seeing an emerging trend of small businesses with just two or three employees and sole traders, partnering with other companies such as Baxi that can provide complimentary services, including system design, installation support or financing.   

Over 1,000 of you have attended our heat pump training courses over the last 12 months alone. This is reflected in the survey findings with the number of installers citing a lack of training as a barrier to heat pump installations falling by 18 percentage points compared with 2024.   
 

The survey also explained why some installers are hesitant to recommend new technologies until they feel fully competent. When asked what drives you in your work, the most frequent answer was providing a good service to customers (85%), solving technical problems (62%) and getting things right from a technical perspective (50%).

This desire to please customers with the service you offer is evidently one of the main reasons why installers want to see tried and tested products before introducing their customers to them.   

2. Hybrids are here to stay   

The 2025 survey found that 35% of installers have or would be somewhat or extremely likely to move to fitting heat pumps as part of a hybrid system. This is where a heat pump works alongside an existing combi boiler. Unlike a stand-alone heat pump system, hybrids typically do not require a water cylinder making the installation lower cost, quicker, less disruptive and less complex for you.   

This is also reflective of those customers you might work with who are more hesitant to make the full transition to a heat pump-only setup and instead want to keep their existing system and run the technology alongside it.   

3. Paperwork and demand still holding the sector back   

While attitudes to heat pumps have shifted positively, consumer demand is developing more slowly. Although many households continue to prefer a straightforward like-for-like boiler replacement, 2024 was still a record year for UK heat pump sales.   

Almost half of respondents (46%) said the paperwork involved in government schemes is a major obstacle to installing heat pumps, saying it slows down projects and can deter customers from making the switch.   

To help ease this burden, we will be launching our own MCS Umbrella scheme later this year, designed to reduce the administrative workload for installers. We’ve also expanded our hands-on training programme and increased online and video-based educational resources produced at our Warwick Solutions Academy.   

4. Generational divide and industry dynamics 

A recurring theme in our annual surveys has been a generational divide in attitudes to retraining. Installers approaching retirement are generally less inclined to invest in developing new skills, while those earlier in their careers are more open to diversifying their expertise.   

The survey also noted that as a large proportion of UK installers work either as sole traders or in very small teams, the structure can make it more difficult for them to take time out for training or to manage the additional paperwork that often accompanies low-carbon installations.

5. The role of installers in decarbonisation   

Home heating is responsible for around 18% of the UK’s carbon emissions, and approximately 85% of households still rely on natural gas boilers. As the transition to cleaner heating accelerates, you are expected to play a central role in guiding your customers through their choices and in ensuring new technologies are fitted competently and to a high standard.   

That’s where our role as a responsible manufacturer comes in. We’re here not only to provide you with the latest solutions in heating systems but to also guide you in installing them correctly. 

To find out more please visit: ASHP solutions built around you, backed by us