All new gas boiler installations will be banned across the UK by 2035, the Prime Minister has confirmed.

That means that all new heating systems will use low carbon technologies, such as electric heat pumps, or support promising technologies like hydrogen-ready boilers.

The government has also clarified that no one will be forced to remove their existing fossil fuel boilers during this transition period of the next 14 years.

The measure is part of the highly-anticipated Heat and Buildings Strategy, the first of its kind in England, laying out the government’s priorities in tackling emissions in homes and businesses.

The Strategy, which builds on pledges previously included in the ten point plan and the Energy White Paper, aims to motivate people to replace their old gas boilers with low carbon heating systems.

More specifically, the government launched a new Boiler Upgrade Scheme through which households will benefit from £5,000 grants to help install low carbon heating technologies, including heat pumps.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is part of more than £3.9 billion of new funding to decarbonise heat and buildings.

The government has also launched a £60 million innovation fund designed to make clean heat systems smaller and easier to install and cheaper to run.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “As we clean up the way we heat our homes over the next decade, we are backing our brilliant innovators to make clean technology like heat pumps as cheap to buy and run as gas boilers, supporting thousands of green jobs.

“Our new grants will help homeowners make the switch sooner, without costing them extra, so that going green is the better choice when their boiler needs an upgrade.”

Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said: “Recent volatile global gas prices have highlighted the need to double down on our efforts to reduce Britain’s reliance on fossil fuels and move away from gas boilers over the coming decade to protect consumers in long term.

“As the technology improves and costs plummet over the next decade, we expect low carbon heating systems will become the obvious, affordable choice for consumers. Through our new grant scheme, we will ensure people are able to choose a more efficient alternative in the meantime.”

Heat in buildings is considered one of the largest sources of carbon dioxide emissions, accounting for nearly 21% of the UK’s total.