Vocational.uk The route, drawn out

Electrical, Plumbing & Heating

Heat Pump & Low Carbon Heating Installer

Install and commission heat pumps, cylinders and low-temperature heating — the fastest-growing trade in the country.

High demand Can go self-employed Level 3 apprenticeship
Typical pay once qualified
£33,000 – £50,000
Training length
3 years
Apprenticeship standard
Low carbon heating technician
Where to train
237 providers listed

The route, drawn out

DWG D490 · 5 stops · 3 years to qualify
  1. Day one Start as an apprentice from £15.6k
  2. Year 2 Training continues, pay rises min. £21.2k+
  3. 3 years Fully qualified around £33k
  4. +3–5 years Experienced up to £50k
  5. Then Your own business you set the rate

The first figures are legal minimums: the apprentice rate (£8.00/hr) and the National Minimum Wage for 18–20s and 21+ from April 2026, on a 37.5-hour week. Qualified and experienced pay are indicative UK ranges — most employers pay apprentices above the minimum.

What the job is

Replacing gas boilers with heat pumps is a national programme, and there are nowhere near enough installers to do it. The work combines plumbing, electrics, controls and — crucially — correct heat loss calculation and system design, because a heat pump installed like a boiler will not work well.

Most people come to it from plumbing or heating, but dedicated apprenticeships now exist. Grant-funded installations mean steady, well-paid work for installers who are properly certificated.

A typical day

  • Carry out room-by-room heat loss calculations
  • Size and install heat pumps, cylinders and buffer vessels
  • Install and balance low-temperature emitters and pipework
  • Commission systems and set weather compensation controls
  • Explain the system to customers so they use it correctly

How you get in

  • Often entered after, or alongside, plumbing and heating training
  • GCSE grade 3-4 (D-C) in maths and English, or Functional Skills
  • Comfort with calculations and system design, not just installation
  • MCS certification matters for grant-funded work

Where it leads

  • MCS certification and the ability to sign off grant-funded installs
  • Solar PV, battery storage and EV charging qualifications
  • System designer or technical surveyor
  • Self-employed renewables installer

Where to train for this

237 colleges and training providers on our list cover Heat Pump & Low Carbon Heating Installer training. Open your region to see them, then check current intakes with the provider directly.

East Midlands 13
East of England 17
London 17
North East 11
North West 29
South East 25
South West 18
UK-wide 27
West Midlands 20
Yorkshire and the Humber 18
East Scotland 6
North Scotland 7
West Scotland 9
North Wales 2
South Wales 7
West Wales 2
Northern Ireland 6
Channel Islands 2
Isle of Man 1

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