British Gas has been forced to withdraw a social media advert promoting heat pumps after regulators ruled the potential savings claim was misleading.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the advert suggested households could cut their energy bills by up to £546, but evidence showed only a minority of customers achieved that level of saving.
The watchdog concluded the promotion failed to include important information explaining how the figure was calculated and ordered them to take it down.
What the advert said
The advert, which appeared on multiple social media platforms in May 2025, featured a person standing next to a heat pump with text over the image stating: “Go greener and lower your bills. Save up to £546 with a heat pump and our exclusive tariff.”
Additional wording encouraged households to “Switch to a heat pump and start saving with British Gas.” The caption underneath added: “Upgrade to a low-carbon heat pump, and you could save up to £546. Savings based on year 1. T&Cs apply.”
British Gas said the figure came from modelling that estimated potential energy bill savings for a customer replacing an end-of-life gas boiler with an air-source heat pump and signing up to the company’s dedicated heat pump tariff.
What the watchdog found
The ASA investigated whether the £546 saving claim could be supported and whether the advert left out key details.
According to the regulator, modelling provided by British Gas showed only 34% of 194 customers achieved the advertised saving, while some households were expected to see their bills increase after switching.
The watchdog also said the advert did not clearly explain the assumptions used to calculate the savings, including factors such as household energy use, boiler efficiency and the cost of switching from gas to a heat pump.
Because this information was not included, the ASA concluded the advert omitted material information and exaggerated the likelihood of achieving the advertised saving, breaching advertising rules on misleading claims and substantiation.
British Gas response
British Gas said the £546 figure was presented as an “up to” saving because it believed a significant proportion of consumers could achieve that level of benefit. The company also argued that space limitations in the advert meant it could not include full details explaining the calculation.
However, the ASA rejected this argument and ruled that the advert must not appear again in the form investigated. The regulator also told the company to ensure future savings claims are backed by clear evidence and accompanied by sufficient information so consumers can properly understand how the figures are calculated.
A spokesperson for British Gas said the company was disappointed with the decision but would continue helping customers make informed choices about low-carbon heating options.
