Gas vs Electric: What Costs More To Run?

The “gas vs electric heating costs” debate has been raging for years, with most people assuming gas is always cheaper. But in 2025, that’s no longer the full story. Rising gas prices, boiler maintenance costs, and advances in electric heating technology have shifted the balance—and many UK homeowners are discovering that electric heating can actually save them money.

If you’re weighing up gas vs electric radiators for your home, this guide breaks down the real running costs, hidden fees, and long-term savings so you can make an informed decision based on facts, not outdated assumptions.

Understanding the True Cost: Gas vs Electric Heating in 2025

When comparing gas vs electric heating costs, most people only look at the unit price of energy. But that’s just part of the picture. To get the real cost, you need to factor in:

Energy unit costs (pence per kWh)
Boiler maintenance and servicing (annual costs)
Boiler replacement (every 10-15 years)
Emergency repairs (breakdowns, leaks, parts)
Installation complexity (pipework, radiators, controls)
Efficiency losses (heat lost through pipes, poor insulation)

Let’s break down the real numbers for 2025.

2025 UK Energy Prices: Gas vs Electric

As of 2025, typical UK energy prices are:

Gas: 6-7p per kWh
Electricity: 24-28p per kWh (standard tariff)
Electricity (off-peak/smart tariffs): 12-16p per kWh

At first glance, gas looks cheaper. But here’s where it gets interesting.

The Hidden Costs of Gas Heating

Gas central heating isn’t just about the fuel cost. Here’s what most people forget:

Annual Boiler Servicing: £90-£150 per year Your gas boiler needs annual servicing to stay safe, efficient, and under warranty. That’s a mandatory cost you can’t avoid.

Boiler Replacement: £2,000-£4,000 every 10-15 years Gas boilers don’t last forever. The average lifespan is 10-15 years, after which you’ll need a full replacement. Spread over 15 years, that’s £130-£265 per year.

Emergency Repairs: £200-£1,000+ when things go wrong Boiler breakdowns are common: faulty pumps, leaking pipes, broken thermostats, pressure issues.

The Environmental Factor: Gas vs Electric Heating

Beyond costs, there’s another crucial consideration in the gas vs electric heating debate: your carbon footprint and the UK’s net zero goals.

Gas Heating and Carbon Emissions

Gas boilers burn fossil fuels directly in your home, producing carbon dioxide (CO2) with every use. Even the most efficient modern boilers can’t escape this fundamental fact. As the UK works towards its 2050 net zero target, gas heating is increasingly seen as outdated technology.

The government has already announced plans to phase out new gas boiler installations in new-build homes, and grants for heat pumps signal a clear direction: the future of home heating is electric.

Electric Heating and the Greening Grid

Electric heating’s environmental credentials improve every year as the UK’s electricity grid gets greener. In 2025, over 50% of UK electricity comes from renewable sources (wind, solar, hydro), and that percentage is rising.

When you heat with electricity, you’re automatically benefiting from this transition. Your heating gets cleaner every year without you doing anything. Pair electric radiators with solar panels or a green energy tariff, and your heating becomes virtually carbon-neutral.

Electric Radiators

The initial cost of electric radiators and the installation are dependent on the property and how many radiators are required. Here at Trust, our radiators cost around £860 per unit, plus installation of around £300.

Electricity rates are known to be more expensive than gas rates, so electric heating is automatically more expensive per kWh. However, with smart tariffs like the Cosy Tariff from Octopus Energy, users can make use of lower-cost energy rates to heat their homes for less.

Octopus’ Cosy Tariff provides 8 ‘cosy’ hours per day, when electricity rates are 51% lower than the Day rate. Within our NEOS electric radiator, we have a soapstone core which stores heat and emits it for 20-40 minutes after the electricity has been switched off. By making efficient use of our smart thermostats AND the Octopus Cosy Tariff, customers can heat their homes and the core of their radiators while the rates are low, and then the soapstone will keep the desired temperature for slightly longer when the rates begin to peak again. Click here to find out more about Octopus Energy and the NEOS.
The following will summarise 10 years’ worth of these costs associated with gas heating and electric heating to create a clear comparison between the two. This shows how gas may seem cheaper based on the upfront cost, but after 10 years of hidden costs, it may become the more expensive option. (Please note that these are average costs and not 100% accurate)

So the initial cost of electric radiators may seem high, but it is worth it for the minimal costs over time. Here at Trust Electric Heating, ALL of our radiators come with a 25-year guarantee, proving that they’re built to last. We also encourage people to gradually swap their system to split the initial cost. For example, convert the downstairs rooms to electric radiators and move on to do the upstairs after a few months of getting used to them. For more information on this ‘hybrid hero’ approach, click here.

So, if you’re looking for a safer, greener and efficient system to heat your home, don’t be scared of the upfront costs of electric radiators - they ARE worthwhile.

For more information on anything in blog, or if you have any questions about heating in general, please give us a call or email us at [email protected].

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Tags: Comparisons, General Guides.