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Heat Trust is all about protecting heat network consumers. 

We're an independent, non-profit consumer champion for heat networks in Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland).

We launched in 2015 with a clear ambition to place consumers at the heart of a rapidly expanding, but unregulated, heat network market.

Our mission

Heat networks are changing the way we heat our homes. They're set to play a key role in meeting carbon reduction targets and helping to create a sustainable energy future. The government has a target to increase the number of homes on heat networks from the current 3% to 20% by 2050. 

Energy is a service that's essential to life. All energy consumers should be guaranteed a minimum level of service and protection, regardless of how they get their heating and hot water. Consumer protection is also critical to the long-term success of heat networks. Satisfied consumers are the fuel for future growth.

The heat network sector is diverse, with thousands of individual heat suppliers of different types and sizes. And it's currently unregulated.

Heat Trust's mission is to hold heat suppliers to account for the benefit of everyone involved in heat networks. Our voluntary consumer-protection Scheme ensures that consumers enjoy the benefits of heating systems fit for the future by:

  • Applying strict customer service standards to heat suppliers, based on those for gas and electricity suppliers
  • Providing heat network consumers with access to an independent dispute resolution service through the Energy Ombudsman
  • Working with heat suppliers to promote best practice, innovation and continuous improvement in customer service.

You can find out more about our Scheme's consumer protections here.

Our role in regulation

The Energy Act 2023 will introduce statutory Ofgem regulation for the heat network sector in the next few years. You can find out more about this here.

Our Heat Trust Scheme rules are the foundations on which these formal regulations will build. We’re working with Ofgem and government to support a smooth transition.

Registration with Heat Trust gives consumers confidence and helps heat suppliers get regulation ready. Our Scheme's standards can apply to any heat suppliers who contract with domestic and/or micro-business consumers, whether metered or unmetered and regardless of the network's heat source.

Find out more about joining our Scheme here.

Our governance

The Heat Trust Scheme is managed by Heat Customer Protection Limited.

We're a small but dedicated non-profit company, overseen by a Board and a stakeholder Committee. For more information, please see our page on Governance.

Our registered heat networks

You can find an interactive map of all heat networks registered with us here, plus a named list of all our registered suppliers and sites here.