New data has found that 58% of professionals have already trained or upskilled in heat pumps, with a further 34% planning to do so within the next 12 months.
City Plumbing’s new Taking the Temperature report has revealed how plumbers and heating installers across the UK are stepping up to meet the demand for low-carbon heating. The research comes as Heat Pump Week commenced on 29 September 2025.
Exploring the research in more detail, the company noted that several regions are leading the way. Wales, at 75%, the East Midlands, at 74%, and both the North West and Scotland, at 72%, reported the highest levels of trained installers.
Northern Ireland, despite having the lowest training uptake at 21%, showed the highest growth potential. A majority, 71%, are planning to upskill in the next 12 months. The North East, at 56%, East of England, at 47%, and Greater London, at 39%, also reported significant pipelines of planned training.
City Plumbing said confidence in the heat pump market is growing. A total of 37% of installers cited expected customer demand, 34% anticipate the chance to gain a competitive advantage and 38% expected personal interest in renewable technologies as key motivators for training. Practical enablers also matter, as 30% said they trained because it was convenient to access and 28% were encouraged or funded by their employer.
However, the report noted some barriers to upskilling in renewables still remain. A total of 28% of respondents cited the cost, 24% said lack of local offering, the same number reported difficulty in taking time off work, followed by enough customer demand and 20% stated too much competition as reasons against training in renewables. A total of 20% said they haven’t trained or plan to train as they will retire soon.
A majority of respondents, 73%, said there are still not enough qualified heat pump installers to meet demand. Alongside this, 85% agreed that there needs to be more financial support to help people train or upskill in renewables.
Hemal Morjaria, managing director – Heating & Renewables at City Plumbing, part of the Highbourne Group, said: “Our research shows clear progress on heat pump training, but some disparities between the regions. Although it’s positive to see so many upskilling, it’s important that we continue to support installers – especially sole traders and small businesses – with affordable and accessible training to future-proof the industry, which plays an essential part in the UK’s net zero ambitions.
“City Plumbing continues to invest heavily in this area. Our partnership with GTEC Training, two centres of excellence, mobile training rigs, and our heat pump umbrella scheme with VitoEnergy are helping hundreds of installers upskill and access government grants, creating a more resilient and future-ready workforce.
“Since 2023, City Plumbing has supported more than 650 installers through accredited training in heat pumps, with further training dates and incentives planned for 2025 and beyond as demand continues to rise.”