Working file V1
Octopus vs Aira heat pump (UK 2026)
Octopus vs Aira heat pump (UK 2026): side-by-side decision aid with capex, grant treatment, payback shape and surveyor's note.
| Dimension | Octopus (Cosy 6) | Aira UK |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Headline "from £" post-BUS | All-Inclusive subscription from £40 / month, or outright purchase quote |
| Published anchor | From £500 post-BUS (Cosy 6); median ~£4,459 net | From £40 / month All-Inclusive (15-year cover bundled) |
| Warranty | above 5-year workmanship | above 15 years on All-Inclusive |
| Tariff bundling | Cosy Octopus time-of-use tariff | Standard supply, no in-house tariff |
| Scale | ~40k cumulative installs to end-2025 | UK launch Nov 2023; scaling |
Surveyor's note (clearly opinion)
Octopus is the volume play with the tightest headline figure. Aira is the subscription play with a 15-year warranty that genuinely changes the risk profile over a 15-year horizon. Neither is "right" or "wrong" in the abstract; the right choice follows the household's preference for capex vs opex.
Surveyed 22 June 2026. Ofgem Q3 2026 cap applied (gas 7.33p, elec 26.11p, gas standing 29.04p). Next scheduled review 26 September 2026 (Q4 cap publication). [ref V1]
By Oliver Wakefield-Smith, Founder, Digital Signet. Corrections to oliver at digitalsignet dot com.