Can a Heat Pump Cool Your Home? Octopus's Cosy Cooler, Air Conditioning and the New Warm Homes Loan (Essex 2026)

charlie windsor

11 minutes ago

4 min read

Two pieces of news this week answer a question more Essex homeowners are asking: can one system keep the house warm in winter and cool in summer? On 27 October 2026, elemental reported that Octopus Energy has unveiled the Cosy Cooler, an add-on designed to give cooling to homes heated by its Cosy heat pumps. On the same day, the government published its factsheet for the new Warm Homes Loan Scheme, which lists air-to-air heat pumps (the type most people call air conditioning) alongside solar, batteries and air-to-water heat pumps. This guide explains what both mean for homes and businesses in Thurrock, Stanford-le-Hope, Corringham, Upminster and across Essex. It is accurate as of 28 October 2026.

What is the Octopus Cosy Cooler?

According to elemental, the Cosy Cooler is a portable indoor unit, about the size of a tall kitchen bin, that connects to the radiator pipework already in the home. The outdoor Cosy heat pump chills water and pumps it through the central heating pipes, and the indoor unit draws in warm room air, cools it across a built-in heat exchanger and circulates it back into the room.

Key points from the report:

Octopus says it will cost £500 to £600 when added to an existing Cosy heat pump system.
Installation is expected to take around three hours.
One unit cools a single room, and two to three can run at once depending on the Cosy heat pump model.
Live home and office trials have begun, and TechRadar reports that the product is expected to launch next year.

It is designed only for Octopus Cosy heat pumps, so it is not an option for other heat pumps or for homes with a gas boiler.

Can any heat pump cool my house?

Not automatically. There are two main types:

Air-to-water heat pumps heat water for radiators, underfloor heating and your hot water cylinder. Whether one can also provide cooling depends on the model, its controls and how the heating system was designed, so check with the manufacturer and your installer before assuming it can.
Air-to-air heat pumps blow warm or cool air directly into a room through an indoor unit. Most wall-mounted split air conditioning systems work this way and can heat as well as cool.

If you mainly want to cool a bedroom, home office or extension and take the chill off in winter, an air-to-air system is usually the simpler route. If you want to replace a boiler and heat the whole home and its hot water, an air-to-water heat pump is the usual choice. You can read more on our EV chargers, heat pumps and air conditioning page.

Is air conditioning covered by the new Warm Homes Loan?

The Warm Homes Loan Scheme offers government-backed no- and low-interest loans across the UK. The GOV.UK factsheet published on 27 October 2026 lists these maximum loan sizes:

solar panels: up to £15,000
electrical storage battery: up to £15,000
air-to-water heat pump: up to £20,000
air-to-air heat pump: up to £10,000, when MCS certification is available
ground source heat pump: up to £35,000

That last condition matters. The government only lists air-to-air systems as eligible once MCS certification is available for them, so check with the lender before you rely on a loan for air conditioning. Ten lenders are taking part initially, including Homeserve (with E.ON), Hometree Finance, Sunsave, Tandem Bank and The Money Co-op. The government says installations under the scheme will be carried out by MCS-certified installers, and that a heat pump loan can be combined with a Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant of up to £9,000.

We covered how the scheme works in our earlier guide to the Warm Homes Loan for solar, batteries and heat pumps.

Will solar panels help run a heat pump or air conditioning?

Cooling demand tends to be highest on sunny summer days, when solar panels are generating the most, so solar and air conditioning work well together. Heating is different: most heat pump demand comes in winter mornings and evenings, when solar output is low. A home battery on a time-of-use tariff can help by storing cheaper electricity to use at peak times. See our solar panel and battery installation page.

What electrical work does a heat pump or air conditioning unit need?

Both need a suitable supply, usually a dedicated circuit with the right protection, and the work must meet BS 7671. Your installer should check your existing supply and consumer unit and, where needed, notify the network operator (UK Power Networks in Essex). If your wiring is old or you are unsure of its condition, an EICR or electrical test before you start can flag problems early.

FAQ

Can I buy the Cosy Cooler now?

According to the reports, it is in trials with Octopus Cosy heat pump owners and is expected to launch next year.

Does a heat pump work as air conditioning?

An air-to-air heat pump (a split air conditioning system) can heat and cool. Whether an air-to-water heat pump can cool depends on the model and how your system is designed.

Can I get a Warm Homes Loan for air conditioning?

The GOV.UK factsheet lists air-to-air heat pumps up to £10,000 only when MCS certification is available. Check with the lender first.

Who installs heat pumps and air conditioning in Thurrock?

CPW Electrical Solutions LTD is based in Thurrock and is NICEIC Approved (607863000) and MCS certified (NIC602214), with £2m public liability insurance. See the areas we cover.

Talk to us about heating and cooling

Call 07545 571230 (answered 7am to 7pm) or request a quote. For commercial premises, see our commercial electrician page.

Information is accurate as of 28 October 2026 and can change. Sources: elemental (27 October 2026) and GOV.UK Warm Homes Loan Scheme factsheet (27 October 2026). Always check current scheme rules and product details before you commit.