The UK plumbing industry stands at a pivotal crossroads. Whilst traditional gas boilers have heated British homes for decades, a seismic shift towards renewable heating technologies is reshaping the entire sector. At the forefront of this transformation sits City Plumbing, a national merchant with over 370 branches that has emerged as a crucial player in the country’s race towards net zero emissions by 2050.
Recent partnerships, training initiatives and product expansions reveal how this Northamptonshire-headquartered firm is positioning itself to meet unprecedented demand for heat pumps and sustainable heating solutions. The story of City Plumbing in 2025 reflects broader trends transforming the plumbing trade across Britain, from acute skills shortages to regulatory changes that will fundamentally alter how new homes are heated.
Heat Pump Partnerships Signal Strategic Growth
City Plumbing made headlines in June 2025 when it announced a nationwide partnership with Midea Cooling & Heating. The collaboration, officially signed at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium, marked a significant expansion of the merchant’s renewable heating portfolio. Midea, known for delivering air-to-water heat pumps at competitive prices, now supplies its products across City Plumbing’s extensive branch network.
Steve Robinson, Managing Director of Midea Cooling & Heating UK, emphasised the strategic importance of the partnership. He noted that the heat pump market has evolved significantly in recent years, with his company focused on delivering products that lead the industry in specification, reliability, warranty and value. The introduction of a three-year free service option, which rewards installers for maintaining Midea products, has driven growing demand for the brand.
Hemal Morjaria, Managing Director of Renewables, Electrical and Site Temp at City Plumbing, welcomed the partnership as strengthening the firm’s proposition both in-store and online. He stressed that City Plumbing remains committed to making sustainable heating accessible to every installer across the UK. The partnership ensures customers have access to the tools, products and service needed to deliver exceptional low-carbon solutions to homeowners nationwide.
This expansion followed City Plumbing’s September 2025 announcement that it would become the first national merchant to supply Midea battery storage systems and EV chargers. The move allows installers to purchase air source heat pumps, electric vehicle charging systems and solar photovoltaic equipment from a single supplier, creating whole-house renewable solutions for customers.
Training the Next Generation of Heat Pump Installers
Perhaps nowhere is City Plumbing’s commitment to the low-carbon transition more evident than in its training programmes. The merchant has partnered with GTEC Training to deliver accredited Air Source Heat Pump Installation Courses at multiple locations across England. For a limited time, installers can access these three-day courses for just £160 plus VAT, thanks to a £500 Heat Training Grant from government funding.
The training delivers knowledge, skills and competency required to design, specify, install, commission and maintain domestic and small commercial air source heat pumps. Participants receive practical training on purpose-built live heat pump rigs. Upon completion, installers achieve an LCL Awards Level 3 Certificate recognised by the Microgeneration Certification Scheme, a crucial step towards MCS certification.
City Plumbing has supported more than 650 installers through accredited heat pump training since 2023. The merchant operates two Centres of Excellence in Farnborough and Basildon, alongside mobile training rigs that travel to branches nationwide. Training dates continue throughout 2025 and beyond as demand rises steadily.
The urgency behind this training push becomes clear when examining national statistics. Research from City Plumbing’s own “Taking the Temperature” report shows that 58 per cent of UK professionals have already trained or upskilled in heat pumps, with a further 34 per cent planning to do so within the next 12 months. However, nearly three-quarters of respondents believe there are still not enough qualified heat pump installers to meet demand.
The government target of 600,000 heat pump installations per year by 2028 looms large. Data from the Microgeneration Certification Scheme shows more than 30,000 certified heat pump installations occurred in the first half of 2025 alone, representing a 12 per cent increase on the previous year. June 2025 marked the third strongest month on record for heat pump subsidy applications in England and Wales.
Yet despite this progress, significant challenges remain. Only around one per cent of UK homes currently use heat pumps for heating, among the lowest rates in Europe. Installation numbers must continue accelerating rapidly to meet climate targets.
Digital Expansion Through Virtualstock Partnership
Whilst physical branches remain crucial, City Plumbing has not neglected its digital presence. In October 2025, the merchant announced a technology partnership with Virtualstock, significantly extending its online product range to meet ambitious growth targets. The collaboration allows City Plumbing to add thousands of new products to its catalogue without increasing internal resources or holding additional stock.
Virtualstock’s order management system streamlines supplier onboarding and extends City Plumbing’s range in existing categories. The platform delivers real-time visibility of stock and orders across multiple brands, enabling seamless management and selling across the entire portfolio. Following initial success, City Plumbing rolled out the initiative across the wider Highbourne Group, which encompasses multiple businesses in the plumbing and heating sector.
Hemal Morjaria described the partnership as empowering installers by ensuring they have the right products when and where they need them, without compromising on experience. The technology wraps around existing infrastructure, enabling City Plumbing to scale its online offer at pace whilst introducing new products, ranges and categories efficiently.
Navigating Regulatory Changes and Future Homes Standard
The backdrop to City Plumbing’s expansion is a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape. The Future Homes Standard represents perhaps the most significant change coming to UK plumbing and heating. Expected to take full effect in 2026, the standard requires all new homes built from 2025 onwards to produce 75 to 80 per cent fewer carbon emissions compared to those constructed under previous regulations.
The standard achieves this by banning fossil-fuel boilers in new homes and mandating high levels of energy efficiency. Changes to Part L of the Building Regulations introduced in June 2022 laid the groundwork, requiring a maximum flow temperature of 55 degrees Celsius for new and replacement wet central heating systems in new builds. The goal is to make homes “heat pump ready” and encourage installation of low-temperature heating systems.
New rules also require all primary circulation pipes, including those under floors and in walls, to be insulated to prevent heat loss. Plumbers must now provide photographic evidence to building control to prove compliance. These changes have already had direct and immediate impact on the plumbing and heating industry.
The Building Safety Act 2022 and updates to Part F regarding ventilation further shape the regulatory environment. The Building Safety Regulator is expected to ramp up oversight and enforcement activities, particularly on higher-risk buildings. Industry insiders anticipate increased enforcement throughout 2025 and beyond.
For City Plumbing, these regulatory shifts create both challenges and opportunities. The merchant has positioned itself to support installers navigating complex new requirements whilst capitalising on surging demand for compliant products and systems.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme Drives Market Transformation
Government incentives have proven crucial in accelerating heat pump adoption. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which provides £7,500 grants towards replacing fossil fuel boilers with heat pumps, has helped drive record installations. Statistics from Ofgem show that by the end of March 2025, the scheme had supported 49,136 low-carbon heating system installations since its launch in May 2022.
The 2024 to 2025 scheme year alone saw more than 25,000 installations, reflecting growing maturity and the scheme’s critical role in accelerating the UK’s transition to cleaner heating. Following overwhelming demand, the government responded by increasing funding twice, ultimately raising the 2024/25 budget from an original £150 million to £205 million. In November 2024, funding for 2025/26 was confirmed at £295 million.
The first half of 2025 accounted for 26 per cent of all air-source heat pump grants issued since the scheme began. June 2025 was the third strongest month on record for applications. Charlotte Lee, chief executive at the Heat Pump Association, described the installation figures as “fantastic” and highlighted the government’s £13.2 billion commitment to its Warm Homes Plan as significant.
This government support directly benefits merchants like City Plumbing. Installers accessing the scheme require MCS certification, driving demand for training programmes. They also need reliable suppliers who can provide compliant equipment promptly. City Plumbing’s nationwide branch network and growing renewable product range position it ideally to serve this expanding market.
Confronting the Skills Crisis Head-On
Despite optimism around heat pump adoption, the UK plumbing and heating sector faces a deepening workforce crisis that threatens to derail progress. The latest State of Trade report from the Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation reveals that nearly 70 per cent of businesses report low availability of skilled workers, the highest level since records began.
Only 22 per cent of firms plan to recruit an apprentice in the next six months. Just 21 per cent are likely to increase staffing, with cost pressures cited as a major factor. Fiona Hodgson, Chief Executive of SNIPEF, warned that the findings show the cumulative impact of government inaction, with funding support frozen for more than eight years.
The shortage extends beyond heat pump specialists to general plumbing trades. Research suggests the UK will require 70,000 additional plumbing professionals by 2032. The Apprenticeship Gap Report compiled by DART Tool Group found the plumbing and heating sector currently faces a deficit of nearly 2,000 positions, with 79 job openings for every available apprentice.
Plumber apprenticeship starts have fallen 37 per cent since 2021/22. Less than a quarter of apprentices completed their programmes on average in 2024/25, though this represents a notable increase from 16 per cent the previous year. With the sector expected to need 41,600 new plumbers by 2033 to meet net zero and housebuilding targets, the skills gap poses a genuine threat to national climate ambitions.
City Plumbing’s response includes not only training programmes but also workforce expansion. The company has grown its employee count by approximately six per cent, reaching around 2,531 employees. New branch openings create additional jobs in local communities, with the 2024 Basildon branch launch alone generating six new positions in the area.
Branch Network Expansion and Bathroom Showrooms
Physical presence remains paramount in the plumbing trade, where installers often need products immediately. City Plumbing operates more than 370 branches across the UK and Ireland, having opened 22 new locations during 2022 alone. The network expansion ensures customers can access local expertise wherever they work.
Each branch features expert teams who help customers quickly source over 20,000 spares from leading manufacturers, including boiler parts and electrical products. Enhanced online ordering systems, next-day delivery, click and collect, and delivery to customer sites provide flexibility that busy tradespeople demand.
The Bathroom Showroom, available at over 290 City Plumbing branches nationwide, represents another strategic pillar. These showrooms help bathroom installers and homeowners create bespoke bathrooms with dedicated end-to-end support. Services include complimentary 3D design planning, virtual appointments and tile sampling.
In November 2025, The Bathroom Showroom unveiled one of its biggest ever product range changes, launching an exclusive entry-level brand called Vitellio, expanding its iflo collection with 1,000 new lines, and introducing premium manufacturer Hansgrohe to its portfolio. The changes, representing the most significant transformation since 2011, directly respond to customer and colleague feedback.
The new Vitellio brand provides high-quality products at affordable prices, from traditional designs to latest trends. The range includes ceramics and baths, furniture, taps and accessories, enclosures and screens, and shower trays. Meanwhile, the updated iflo brand reflects its focus on stylish products appealing to both luxury and mid-market audiences.
The Bathroom Showroom has implemented Cyncly’s Virtual Worlds 3D bathroom design software across all 290 showrooms, the largest rollout of the technology by any company in the UK to date. The software allows customers to visualise their bathroom before making commitments, enhancing the customer experience and supporting installers in winning projects.
Market Conditions and Industry Performance
The plumbing and heating merchant sector has experienced mixed fortunes recently. The Plumbing & Heating Merchant Index shows that total value sales for November 2024 were down 4.5 per cent compared to November 2023. Volume sales decreased 0.5 per cent whilst prices dropped four per cent year-on-year.
However, the picture improved in early 2025. Quarter one 2025 total value sales through specialist plumbing and heating merchants were up four per cent compared to quarter one 2024. Volume sales increased 5.7 per cent, though prices slipped 1.6 per cent. Mike Rigby, Managing Director of MRA Research which produces the report, noted positive momentum despite broader economic headwinds.
The UK plumbing industry as a whole has demonstrated resilience. Industry revenue reached an estimated £24 billion in 2025, having grown at a compound annual growth rate of 2.8 per cent over the past five years. The plumbing, heating and air conditioning installation industry ranks fifth overall throughout every construction sector.
Construction output data from the Office for National Statistics shows the sector grew by 0.1 per cent in quarter three 2025, with repair and maintenance work increasing 0.6 per cent. Private housing repair and maintenance, a key market for plumbing merchants, grew by 2.9 per cent. These figures suggest ongoing demand for plumbing services despite broader economic uncertainty.
City Plumbing’s estimated annual revenue reached approximately £1.1 billion, with online sales through cityplumbing.co.uk generating around $51 million in 2024. Projections indicate online growth of five to ten per cent in 2025, reflecting the merchant’s successful digital expansion.
Looking Ahead: Opportunities and Challenges
The outlook for City Plumbing and the broader plumbing sector presents both promise and peril. On the positive side, government commitment to climate targets creates structural demand for renewable heating products and skilled installers. The £3.4 billion investment to upgrade 300,000 homes through the Warm Homes Plan in 2025/26 represents significant opportunity.
The Future Homes Standard implementation will create sustained demand for heat pumps and low-temperature heating systems. Planning reforms to boost heat pump uptake and eventual announcements regarding gas boiler phase-outs will further accelerate the transition. Merchants well-positioned to support this shift stand to benefit substantially.
However, challenges abound. The acute skills shortage threatens to constrain growth regardless of demand levels. Without aggressive investment in apprenticeships and training, the industry risks severe labour shortages, rising costs and stalled projects. City Plumbing’s training initiatives help address this gap, but industry-wide action remains essential.
Economic uncertainty following the autumn 2025 budget has dampened consumer confidence. The latest State of Trade report shows confidence in the UK economy among plumbing and heating firms dropped to its lowest level since tracking began, with 64 per cent expressing pessimism. Rising costs and material price fluctuations continue pressuring margins.
Competition in the merchant sector remains fierce. Victorian Plumbing reported solid performance with around five per cent revenue growth to £310 million for financial year 2025, demonstrating that national players continue expanding market share. Regional merchants like Plumb Factory are also investing in growth, with new showroom openings backed by significant funding.
City Plumbing’s strategy appears focused on leveraging its scale advantages whilst maintaining local branch presence. The combination of nationwide coverage, comprehensive product range, training provision, digital capabilities and specialist renewable expertise creates a differentiated proposition. Partnerships with key manufacturers like Midea ensure competitive product access.
Supporting the Trade Through Transition
Beyond products and training, City Plumbing has positioned itself as a partner supporting installers through complex transitions. The merchant’s renewable hubs showcase new technologies like heat pumps and solar photovoltaic systems alongside expert advice and digital tools. These hubs, situated inside selected branches, help tradespeople explore low-carbon options for present and future projects.
City Plumbing offers indemnified design services for renewable installations, removing technical barriers that might otherwise deter installers from entering the market. The merchant works with an extensive range of manufacturers to provide agnostic solutions, ensuring recommendations suit specific customer needs rather than pushing particular brands.
The heat pump umbrella scheme with VitoEnergy helps installers access government grants more easily. By managing administrative complexity, City Plumbing reduces friction preventing smaller installers from participating in the renewable heating market. This support could prove crucial in expanding the installer base needed to meet national targets.
Electrical counters now present in branches provide access to over 2,000 electrical products, reflecting growing convergence between plumbing, heating and electrical trades. Renewable heating systems often require electrical expertise, particularly for controls, sensors and integration with solar or battery storage. Offering electrical supplies alongside plumbing products creates convenience for installers managing integrated projects.
The Road to Net Zero
As Britain progresses towards its 2050 net zero commitment, the plumbing and heating industry occupies centre stage. Domestic heating accounts for approximately 14 per cent of UK greenhouse gas emissions. Replacing 25 million oil and gas boilers with low-carbon alternatives represents one of the most significant infrastructure challenges the country faces.
City Plumbing’s evolution from traditional plumbing merchant to renewable heating specialist mirrors the broader industry transformation. The company that began trading in 1981 from a single site in Salisbury, Wiltshire, has grown to become a pivotal player in the low-carbon transition. Its extensive branch network, now encompassing over 370 locations, provides the infrastructure needed to distribute renewable heating products at scale.
The partnerships forged in 2025 position City Plumbing to capitalise on accelerating demand. The Midea collaboration brings competitive heat pump products to market. The Virtualstock partnership enables rapid online range expansion. The GTEC training alliance creates qualified installers. The bathroom showroom investments provide consumer touchpoints. Each initiative addresses a specific barrier to market growth.
Yet success depends on factors beyond any single merchant’s control. Government policy consistency matters enormously. Training funding must increase substantially. Consumer awareness needs improvement. Installer capacity requires rapid expansion. Supply chains must prove resilient. Without coordinated action across industry, government and education sectors, ambitious targets risk becoming missed opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What services does City Plumbing offer to trade customers?
City Plumbing operates more than 370 branches across the UK, offering plumbing and heating supplies, bathroom products, renewable energy solutions including heat pumps and solar systems, electrical supplies and spares. The merchant provides next-day delivery, click and collect services, and dedicated support from expert branch teams. Trade customers can access over 20,000 products through branches or the online platform, with account management available 24/7.
How can installers get trained in heat pump installation through City Plumbing?
City Plumbing partners with GTEC Training to deliver accredited Air Source Heat Pump Installation Courses at locations across England. The three-day courses cost £160 plus VAT after government funding, and participants receive an LCL Awards Level 3 Certificate recognised by MCS upon completion. Training includes practical work on purpose-built heat pump rigs and covers design, installation, commissioning and maintenance skills. City Plumbing operates two Centres of Excellence in Farnborough and Basildon.
What is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and how does it work?
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides £7,500 grants to help households replace fossil fuel boilers with heat pumps in England and Wales. Launched in May 2022, the scheme has supported over 49,000 installations as of March 2025. Installers must be MCS certified to access the scheme. The government increased funding to £295 million for 2025/26 following strong demand. The scheme forms part of the broader Warm Homes Plan aimed at decarbonising domestic heating across the UK.
Why is there a shortage of heat pump installers in the UK?
The shortage stems from multiple factors including insufficient training capacity, frozen apprenticeship funding for over eight years, and the rapid increase in demand outpacing workforce growth. Estimates suggest at least 27,000 qualified heat pump engineers will be needed by 2028 to meet government targets, but currently only around 3,000 operate nationwide. Training costs and lack of financial incentives for gas boiler engineers to retrain have compounded the problem. The government targets 600,000 annual installations by 2028, requiring substantial workforce expansion.
What is the Future Homes Standard and how will it affect plumbing?
The Future Homes Standard, taking full effect in 2026, requires all new homes built from 2025 onwards to produce 75 to 80 per cent fewer carbon emissions than previous builds. It bans fossil-fuel boilers in new homes and mandates high energy efficiency levels. Changes include maximum flow temperatures of 55 degrees Celsius for heating systems, extensive pipe insulation requirements, and improved ventilation standards. These regulations are driving the transition to heat pumps and low-temperature heating systems, fundamentally reshaping the plumbing and heating industry.
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