UK Refrigerant Regulations
Understand the United Kingdom’s split refrigerant-regulation landscape in 2026: Great Britain retains its own F-gas regime and HFC quota schedule, while Northern Ireland continues to apply EU F-gas legislation under the Windsor Framework.
Great Britain and Northern Ireland must be analysed separately
Brexit created a regulatory split that is now one of the most important facts on any UK refrigerant-regulation page.
GB HFC Quota Phase-Down
England, Scotland and Wales use a GB HFC quota system. The current schedule is 31% for 2024–2026, 24% for 2027–2029 and 21% in 2030.
Current GB Product Bans
GB retains bans on specified high-GWP refrigerants in domestic refrigeration, stationary refrigeration and large multipack commercial systems.
Leak Checks, Service & Certification
GB operators face CO₂-equivalent leak-check thresholds, recovery obligations and qualification/company-certification requirements.
EU F-Gas Regulation 2024/573
Under the Windsor Framework, Northern Ireland remains aligned with EU F-gas law, including the 2024 regulation’s stronger future product and HFC phase-out provisions.
Selected GB HFC and equipment requirements in 2026
Great Britain still operates largely under the retained F-gas framework derived from Regulation (EU) No 517/2014, while reform is under review.
| Requirement / Sector | Limit / Threshold | Status / Date | How to Read It |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB HFC quota | 31% of baseline | 2024–2026 | Current phasedown step for HFCs placed on the GB market. |
| GB HFC quota | 24% of baseline | 2027–2029 | Existing Annex 5 step; Government confirmed in May 2026 it would not legislate in 2026 to change the 2027 step. |
| GB HFC quota | 21% of baseline | 2030 | Current retained schedule reaches a 79% reduction from baseline. |
| Domestic refrigerators / freezers | HFC GWP >150 banned | Current | Applies to placing specified new products on the GB market. |
| Stationary refrigeration equipment | HFC GWP >2,500 banned | Current | Exception for applications designed to cool products below −50°C. |
| Commercial multipack centralised refrigeration ≥40 kW | F-gas GWP >150 banned | Current | Cascade primary circuit exception below GWP 1,500. |
| Virgin high-GWP service refrigerant | GWP >2,500 + ≥40 tCO₂e system | Current | Cannot use virgin gas to refill affected refrigeration systems; reclaimed/recycled routes continue until end-2029 under stated conditions. |
| GB leak checks | 5 / 50 / 500 tCO₂e | Current | Typical maximum intervals: 12 / 6 / 3 months; automatic leak detection modifies intervals. |
The current Great Britain regime remains under policy review. In May 2026 the UK Government confirmed there would be no 2026 legislation altering the 1 January 2027 HFC phase-down step, but further reform is still intended.
The same refrigerant can face different future rules inside the UK
For products, imports, quota and long-term refrigerant strategy, the GB/NI distinction can materially change the answer.
Use the GB F-gas service and retained regulations
For GB projects, check the current GB product bans, quota rules, service restrictions, leak requirements and qualification scheme.
- Register and obtain sufficient GB quota / quota authorisation where required for HFC placing on market.
- Check current GB equipment bans by product category and GWP.
- Use the GB 2024–2026 / 2027–2029 / 2030 phasedown schedule unless and until legislation changes it.
- Use qualified personnel and certified companies where required.
- Apply GB leak-check and recovery rules to covered equipment.
Use EU Regulation 2024/573 under the Windsor Framework
Northern Ireland remains dynamically aligned to EU F-gas legislation in this field, including the 2024 replacement regulation.
- Apply EU F-gas quota and product rules where relevant to Northern Ireland market placement.
- Use Regulation (EU) 2024/573 Annex IV equipment prohibition dates.
- Apply the EU’s new service restrictions, including 2026 and later high-GWP servicing rules.
- Use the new EU certification and leak-control framework.
- For movements between GB and NI, follow the applicable GB and EU quota / customs requirements.
A product designed around a refrigerant that remains permitted in Great Britain may face an earlier or tighter prohibition in Northern Ireland because NI follows the EU 2024/573 timetable. Product planning therefore needs separate GB and NI compliance matrices rather than a single “UK refrigerant list.”
Key GB and NI milestones from 2024 onward
Policy divergence is now part of refrigerant planning in the United Kingdom.
How the 2026 UK framework affects five common refrigerants
These examples focus on Great Britain unless stated otherwise. Northern Ireland can have stricter future limits because it follows EU law.
Not caught by the GB >2,500 service ban, but the HFC quota and product transition still reduce its long-term role. NI faces the EU’s tighter future small-system timetable.
Explore R410A →Major target of the GB high-GWP refrigeration service restriction for large systems; virgin refill is restricted when the ≥40 tCO₂e threshold is met.
Explore R404A →Important lower-GWP HVAC option in GB. In NI, future EU ≤12 kW 150-GWP steps mean R32 is not a final solution for every small-system category.
Explore R32 →Outside the HFC quota system and increasingly important, but hydrocarbon safety and equipment standards remain essential.
Explore R290 →Strong commercial-refrigeration pathway in both GB and NI, especially where system architecture is designed for CO₂ pressures.
Explore R744 →Qualifications, company certification and leak checks remain core GB duties
Businesses and technicians working on F-gas equipment in Great Britain must comply with qualification, leak, recovery and recordkeeping rules.
R404A is the classic GB service-ban example
The Great Britain service restriction is based on both refrigerant GWP and system CO₂-equivalent charge.
- Virgin F-gas with GWP >2,500 cannot refill affected refrigeration systems containing ≥40 tCO₂e.
- Reclaimed >2,500 GWP gas may be used in the affected systems until 2030 under the published rules.
- Recovered and recycled high-GWP gas has a narrower same-owner / servicing-business pathway until 2030.
- Recovery at end of life and proper records remain required.
Start every UK project by asking “GB or Northern Ireland?”
Only after the jurisdiction is clear should you apply the relevant quota, product, service and certification rules.
Verify UK requirements with GOV.UK and Northern Ireland sources
Use Great Britain guidance for England, Scotland and Wales; use DAERA / EU rules for Northern Ireland.
Verify whether the project is in Great Britain or Northern Ireland, then use the current GB retained legislation / GOV.UK guidance or Regulation (EU) 2024/573 as applicable. Future GB reform may alter the post-2027 / post-2030 trajectory.
Planning HVAC/R equipment for the UK market?
First separate Great Britain from Northern Ireland, then screen refrigerants against the relevant quota, product ban, service, leak and certification requirements.