Is Infrared Heating Cheaper Than Gas?

The honest answer: per unit of heat, gas is cheaper than electric infrared heating in the UK. But infrared can still cost less overall when you heat only the rooms you use, when a building is used part-time, or when you are not on mains gas. Here are the real numbers so you can decide for your own home.

The price of a unit of heat

Under the Ofgem price cap for October to December 2026 (typical direct debit rates):

• Electricity: 26.32p per kWh, plus a standing charge of 54.83p a day.
• Gas: 7.97p per kWh, plus a standing charge of 29.68p a day.

A modern gas boiler turns about 90% of its gas into heat, so a kWh of heat from gas costs about 8.9p. An infrared heater turns all its electricity into heat, so a kWh of heat costs 26.32p. That makes gas roughly three times cheaper per unit of heat.

Why infrared can still work out cheaper

1. You heat one room, not the whole house. A gas boiler usually heats every radiator on the system. Infrared panels have their own thermostats, so you can heat just the room you are in.
2. It warms you quickly. Infrared warms people and surfaces directly within minutes, so it needs to be on for less time. That suits rooms used for a few hours, offices, churches and halls.
3. No boiler costs. There is no annual boiler service, and if you give up gas altogether you also save the gas standing charge, about £108 a year at current rates.
4. No gas connection needed. Bringing gas to a property that does not have it can cost thousands of pounds. Infrared panels need only electricity.
5. Solar panels and cheaper tariffs. If you generate your own electricity or have a tariff with cheaper periods, the gap with gas narrows.

An example

Say you work from home in a 15 m² study for 8 hours a day while the rest of the house is empty. A 1 kW infrared panel run by a thermostat might be on about half the time once the room is warm, using around 4 kWh. That costs about £1.05 a day.

Running the gas central heating for the same 8 hours warms every room on the system, and in many homes uses far more than 4 kWh of heat. In that situation, heating just the study with infrared is often the cheaper choice. Your own figures will depend on insulation, room size and how warm you like it; our heating calculator gives an estimate for your room.

When gas is still the better choice

• You already have a working gas boiler and heat the whole house most of the day.
• The house is large and every room is in use.

Many customers keep their gas boiler and add infrared to rooms the boiler heats badly, or to rooms they use at different times, such as a home office, loft room, extension or garden room.

Other differences

• Comfort: radiant heat warms you and the room's surfaces rather than just the air, so many people feel comfortable at a slightly lower air temperature.
• Safety: no flame and no carbon monoxide risk in the room.
• Space and noise: slim panels fit on the wall or ceiling and make no sound.
• Upkeep: no moving parts and nothing to service.

Find out what it would cost you

Use the heating calculator, browse our infrared heating panels, or send us your room sizes for a free quote, usually within one working day.