'Nudge unit' hired by ministers to dispel myths and misinformation on heat pumps

Experts from a "nudge unit" have been hired to help ministers fight misinformation about heat pumps to try to encourage their take-up.

- Ben Quinn

The appliances run on electricity instead of gas and are regarded as a way of decarbonising homes at scale. A target of installing 600,000 a year by 2028 is part of the drive to achieve Britain's commitment to reach net zero by 2050.

However, misinformation shared in the media and by "other stakeholders" is impeding uptake, according to a £100,000 government contract awarded to the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT), which specialises in ideas to "nudge" the public into taking different actions. The contract awarded to BIT contains details of a previously unpublished research by the Department for Energy.

It found that individuals who self-reported that they knew a fair amount or a lot about heat pumps were less likely to want one.

However, people who correctly answered a simple knowledge question about heat pumps were more likely to want one.

BIT is finalising a large survey of householders' views and coverage in the media that will be used in planning how the government will push back against misinformation.