A tech boss has admitted that heat pumps will never be cheaper than gas boilers as they are a "more complex".

       The cost of installing a heat pump is a major concern for people contemplating making the switch, which could challenge the Government's 2050 net zero goals.

       Daniel S？refjord, UK CEO of heat pump installation company Aira, said that while gas boilers are cheaper, they are also "incredibly inefficient".

       He told The Telegraph: "I don’t think you will ever see heat pumps priced on parity with gas boilers because it’s like comparing a bicycle to a car.

       "A heat pump is a more complex device. A gas boiler is an 800-degree flame that hits water. It’s an incredibly simple - but also incredibly inefficient - device."

       READ MORE: Homeowners on real cost of installing and running a heat pump

       The Government wants the majority of homes to use heat pumps by 2050 but will not stop selling gas boilers until heat pumps are the cheaper option.

       Currently, heat pumps cost around ￡12,000 to install, compared to a gas boiler, which costs ￡2,000. Subsidies are available that provide ￡7,500 towards the cost, but these are due to end in 2027.

       Joanna O'Loan from the Energy Saving Trust said it's "uncertain" whether the UK will ever get to a point where heat pumps are cheaper.

       She added: "Realistically, I don’t think that suddenly, the UK's rising demand will have a significant impact on that global supply chain where we’re quite a small piece of the overall market.

       "We’re probably not looking at getting a heat pump for ￡1,000 pounds. That’s probably not a reality that exists.

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       "Whether there’s a point in time that it actually is cheaper than a gas boiler to install, I think that that’s quite an uncertainty. I don’t think I would be gambling that that would happen anytime soon."

       Heat pumps take energy from the air or ground and turn it into heat by compressing it.

       Mr S？refjord explained: "If you look at the total cost of getting a heat pump installed, less than half of that cost is related to the product, a lot of it is actually the labour and the materials that you need to convert the house from a gas or oil house to a heat pump house."

       On top of installation costs, modifications are typically needed on houses getting a heat pump for the first time, including bigger radiators, underfloor heating, and new wiring.