Heating engineers across Britain are being urged to take up the offer of a government-funded heat pump to install in their own homes, as part of efforts to roll out the clean technology.

Research and innovation firm Nesta is running a “start at home” initiative to provide heating engineers with a funded heat pump and training on how to install it, so they can learn the ropes before fitting the technology for customers.

The initiative comes after a pilot scheme by Nesta found supporting heating engineers to install their first heat pump in their home boosted their technical knowledge, understanding of living with the technology, and confidence in promoting them to customers.

Experts warn large-scale deployment of clean electric-powered heat pumps is key to replacing the widespread use of gas boilers in homes to reduce carbon emissions as part of targets to cut greenhouse gases to “net zero” by 2050.

That means installing round 450,000 heat pumps in existing homes a year by 2030, requiring 38,000 more installers trained and confident to install heat pumps before then, Nesta said.

The organisation said heat pumps were more efficient than gas boilers, potentially lowering energy bills, and tend to require less maintenance and last longer, keeping homes warm for years.

But Nesta pointed to research by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) suggesting only 27% of newly trained installers have gone on to complete an installation within a year, partly due to a lack of a confidence in the technology and the process of putting it in.

So the start at home scheme is being rolled out with partners across England, Wales and Scotland, providing heat engineers with heat pumps for their own homes and expert support, and putting them on the path to the accreditation needed to install the technology for customers under government schemes.

Madeleine Gabriel, Nesta’s director of sustainable future, said: “As more and more households look to switch their home heating, it will be all hands to the pump – and we want to help ensure that Britain’s heating workforce is ready to respond.

“Although lots of heating engineers are curious about heat pumps, many rarely get the chance to see one, let alone install one.

“The ‘start at home’ scheme changes that by beginning where it makes most sense – at home.

“Our message to all heating engineers is simple: secure your future by getting hands-on with the tech with installation yourself.”

Eric MacRae, a heating engineer who took part in the pilot which ran across Scotland, added: “I have confidence now that I’ve got one running in my own property that I have 24/7 experience of.

“Instead of giving people a spiel, I can now speak from personal experience of using it myself.

“It’s giving me an extra edge, and I feel that I can emphasise more of the advantages than I previously would have been able to.”

NEW DELHI: Auto retails surged by a strong 34% to a record 11.6 lakh units in the auspicious Navratri period as GST cuts – that came into effect from September 22 – as well as start of the festive season in north boosted demand. The same was 8.6 lakh units in the nine-day Navratri period last year, according to retail sales data released by Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA). The full month of September, however, had a relatively-modest 5% growth year-on-year on total automobile retails of 18.3 lakh units (against 17.4 lakh units). The two months are seen as broadly incomparable for statistical understanding since the larger part of September this year did not see customers take deliveries as they waited for price cuts from September 22 when the lower GST rates kicked in. The Navratri growth saw record demand for passenger cars, two-wheelers, and 3-wheelers. The passenger vehicles numbers were up 35% at 2.2 lakh units against 1.6 lakh units in the Navratri period last year.For 2-wheelers, the growth was 36% on total retail of 8.3 lakh units against 6.1 lakh units in the same period last year, as per FADA.

“Navratri 2025 will go down as one of the most memorable chapters in the country’s automotive retail journey… For the first time, dealerships across the nation witnessed record-breaking footfalls and deliveries,” FADA VP Sai Giridhar said.Companies across the board had passed on the GST benefits to the market, and some had even sweetened the deal further through festive offers. Maruti, Hyundai, Tata Motors, Mercedes-Benz, TVS, HMSI and Bajaj Auto witnessed strong traction. “It reminded us what the right policy at the right time can do for a nation’s sentiment.”Three-wheelers saw a growth of 25% at 46,204 units (37,097 units) in Navratris, while commercial vehicle retails were up 15% at 33,856 units (29,481). Sales of tractors were up 19% at 21,604 units.Companies expect demand to stay strong till the Diwali period, and have seen stock out of certain models. Shailesh Chandra, MD of Tata Motors’ Passenger Vehicles division, said the surge in demand “sets a promising tone for sustained growth” in the months ahead. “Across our portfolio, customer interest remained exceptionally strong with new bookings doubling in the latter half of September following the lowering of GST rates.”Mercedes-Benz sold a record 2,500 cars in the Navratri period.“We have never seen this kind of a demand in the past. This is a record for the number of cars sold in a particular number of days,” Mercedes-Benz India MD & CEO Santosh Iyer said.Mahindra & Mahindra said customer purchases are at record levels. “Thanks to the impetus from GST 2.0 and the preceding weeks’ pent-up demand, we have seen robust growth in dealer-reported customer retails during the first nine days of Navratri with over 60% growth in the SUV segment when compared to the first nine days of Navratri last year,” said Nalinikanth Gollagunta, CEO of the company’s Automotive Division.

Millions of victims of car finance mis-selling could receive less compensation than previously estimated, under plans from the regulator.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said payouts could result from 14 million motor finance agreements between April 2007 and November 2024.

The regulator previously suggested motorists could receive less than £950 per deal, but it now says the average will be about £700. Lenders could pay out £8.2bn in compensation.

The payouts are over commission arrangements between lenders and dealers, unfair contracts, and inaccurate information given to car buyers.

“It’s time their customers get fair compensation,” Nikhil Rathi, chief executive of the FCA, said.

“We recognise that there will be a wide range of views on the scheme, its scope, timeframe and how compensation is calculated. On such a complex issue, not everyone will get everything they would like.”

The scheme would be free to access for consumers.

A ruling at the Supreme Court in August limited the breadth of these cases.

The vast majority of new cars, and many second-hand ones, are bought with finance agreements.

About two million are sold this way each year, with customers paying an initial deposit, then a monthly fee with interest for the vehicle.

In 2021, the FCA banned deals in which the dealer received a commission from the lender, based on the interest rate charged to the customer. These were known as discretionary commission arrangements (DCAs) and meant drivers were at risk of overpaying for the loan.

Other car buyers had an unfair contract because the commission paid to the dealer was so high, and some were not given accurate information about getting the best finance deal.

The regulator has now proposed a scheme to compensate drivers who were subject to these arrangements. If it gets the go-ahead, once the scheme starts:

• lenders will contact those who have already complained. If they don’t hear back after one month, lenders will assume they should look at the case and pay compensation if appropriate
• those who have already complained before the scheme gets up and running are likely to receive compensation faster
• those who have not complained will be contacted by their lender within six months of the scheme starting. People will be asked if they want to opt in to the scheme to have their case reviewed. They will have six months to decide
• those motor finance borrowers who do not receive a letter, for example because lenders no longer have their details and cannot trace them, will have a year from the scheme starting to make a claim

The regulator admitted that consumers can choose not to take part in the FCA’s compensation scheme and instead go to court, where they may get more or less compensation, based on the facts of their case.