Heat pump and solar sign-ups more than double as Brits seek new ways to take control of energy costs ahead of winter
- The number of households signing up for heat pumps with E.ON Next is up 154% year on year, with solar sign-ups up 145%, as more households look to lower their bills and take greater control of their energy use ahead of winter
- It comes as government figures confirm August was a record month for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, with heat pump grant payments up 40% year on year
- E.ON Next customers with solar and battery storage can save up to £637* a year with Next Optimise, which automatically charges and exports at the best times
The number of households signing up for heat pumps with E.ON Next has risen 154% over the past year, with solar sign-ups up 145%, as more households look for practical ways to bring their bills down and take greater control of their energy use.
For solar and battery households, E.ON Next customers can save even more with Next Optimise. Once connected to a home’s battery, it maps electricity use and automatically charges the battery when wholesale prices are low, then exports stored energy when they rise — helping them save up to £637 a year* without needing to monitor prices themselves.
Both technologies change where a household's energy comes from. A heat pump lets a home take its heating off gas, drawing warmth from the outside air and turning it into heat for rooms and hot water, while solar allows a home to generate its own electricity, use it as it's produced and sell back what it isn't using.
It's the same shift E.ON Next is seeing among customers on its time of use tariffs, where households on Next Smart Saver have collectively made an estimated saving of £3.2 million** by moving their energy use to cheaper times of day rather than using less of it.
Gráinne Regan, Propositions Director at E.ON Next, said: "Saving money is the thing customers raise with us more than anything else, and with prices where they are, people aren't waiting for that to change. They're putting in heat pumps, installing solar panels and taking control of what their home costs to run.
"Our job is to make that investment pay off. A home heating itself without gas and generating its own electricity keeps far more of the value it creates – giving households greater control over their energy costs."
The new data comes during National Heat Pump Week which runs from 12-16 October. To help more households make the switch, E.ON Next is offering eligible customers £500*** off a Worcester Bosch air source heat pump between 12 October and 1 November (T&Cs apply).
Notes to editors
* Saving claim based on linking Next Optimise to your solar and battery system. Actual savings vary based on your set-up. This is an example saving based on simulations for 2025 a property in the East Midlands with electricity consumption of 4,000 kWh per year (with the customer home all day), fitted with an 8-panel solar array generating 3,400 kWh per year, plus a Tesla Powerwall battery with 13.5 kWh capacity, and using the Next Optimise optimisation functionality at all times. For comparison purposes, Next Optimise pricing for 2025 has been adjusted to include our 3p early bird booster and the applicable VAT rate has been set to 0%.
Savings are based on comparisons to a standard electricity import rate of 25.36p/kWh and a standing charge of 51.45p/day, based on the Ofgem Energy Price Cap rates for the East Midlands from 1 Oct 2026, including a VAT rate of 0% on electricity, and Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) payments of 13p/kWh under E.ON Next Export Exclusive v3.
Actual costs and savings may vary depending on future energy prices, solar generation, system configuration, the presence of other energy technologies such as an EV or heat pump, energy consumption, and usage of the Next Optimise optimisation functionality. Geographical and eligibility restrictions apply.
** Savings figure based on the accumulated annual savings calculated for all eligible live and non-live customers who signed up to Next Smart Saver for 30 days or more, Customers have saved by consuming less electricity in peak times on Next Smart Saver compared to an average customer with an unrestricted electricity meter. Cumulative saving over £3.2 million correct as of 02 September 2026. Direct Debit payments required. T&Cs apply.
*** Offer available on Worcester Bosch heat pumps sold by E.ON Next from 12 October to 1 November 2026. Discount is automatically applied to new quotes created during this period. Customers must meet eligibility criteria and complete their purchase by 1 December 2026. Full terms and conditions apply and more information on the offer is available here: eonnext.com/air-source-heat-pumps/buy.
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