• 58% of adults in England and Wales support “ensuring that all new heating systems have zero-carbon emissions from 2035”, new research from The MCS Foundation finds
• Strong support for climate action remains, with over half (55%) agreeing that “climate change is one of the key issues facing the UK today”
• Charity says committing to a 2035 phase out date for fossil fuel boilers would help reduce risk of energy price shocks by supporting switch to heat pumps 

15 April 2026 (London): A new report reveals that a majority of the public support government action to end the installation of fossil fuel boilers from 2035, with zero-emissions heating systems such as heat pumps being the default when a boiler needs replacing. 

The MCS Foundation, the charity that conducted the research, said the UK Government should take the evidence of strong public support as a mandate for a commitment to clean heat from 2035 – a policy that would support energy security by reducing reliance on fossil fuels for heating, and which the Climate Change Committee says is needed to meet legally-binding climate targets.  

58% of respondents surveyed expressed support or strong support for “committing to clean heat ensuring that all new heating systems have zero-carbon emissions from 2035”, while only 16% were opposed. 

Garry Felgate, CEO of The MCS Foundation, said, “Not only is a commitment to clean heat by phasing out of fossil fuel boilers essential for meeting the UK’s legally binding climate targets, it’s popular with the public. 

“At a time when the dangers of relying on fossil fuels instead of homegrown energy could not be more evident, the UK and devolved governments should make the commitment to set us on a path towards clean heating. This would reduce our long-standing dependence on oil and gas, provide certainty for the market and drive investment, and could see households benefit from lower bills.” 

The report also found that affordability will be crucial for increasing the uptake of domestic renewables: more than four in five (82%) agreed that “If the UK Government wants more people to install heat pumps, they need to make electricity cheaper”. The MCS Foundation recommends that this could be achieved by moving levies currently charged on household electricity bills into general taxation – a move that would save a typical household with a heat pump over £500 a year. In the 2025 Autumn Budget, the Chancellor partially and temporarily followed this principle, by moving 75% of the Renewables Obligation into general taxation until 2029. The MCS Foundation says that all levies should be permanently moved into general taxation to cut the cost of electricity and help ensure that heat pumps are always cheaper to run than a gas boiler.